The use of mosses in modern pollen studies at Morton Lochs, Fife

Summary

Samples of moss were collected each month between April 1980 and April 1983 from three sites within a small woodland glade at Morton Lochs National Nature Reserve, Tayport, Fife. Variations occured in the amount and range of modern pollen and spores in the moss samples from month to month and from year to year. In particular, lower numbers and a more restricted range of taxa were found in samples collected during winter months. This casts doubt on the assumptions that moss samples contain several years' accumulation of pollen and spores and that winter is the best time of year for collecting moss samples for modern pollen sudies.