[APD] Re: algae spores

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

Most algae produce spores, the ones that bug us certainly do. 
Whether these can be transported via the air, equipment, plants, fish excretment, fish water, dirt, substrate materials, driftwood, and studies for each species is a very tall order to ask.

There is scant research on whether Caldophora spores can be transported via the wind, but yes, they can.
Whether they can be transported into your tank is a separate question. No one studied that issue. 
The possible sources from a home over time becomes very high and very likely though.

There are many types of spores, zoospores, non/flagellated, and resting spores which are resistent to dessication and other environmental parameters. Algae make resistent spores when the environement changes and is unfavorable.  

I think folks arer assuming a lot about the spores of green algae and also the potential for them coming in from things other than the air from outside. Tracing the path would be difficult and rather tough to say.

FYI, most all FW algae are cosmopolitian, except desmids.

Regards, 
Tom Barr 

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