Investigations into more effective adhesives for sticky seed traps.  A. Ashton.  December 2002.  13pp. (unpubl.)

SUMMARY

Sticky seed traps are a lightweight and cheap alternative to funnel seed traps. However, in past studies they have been found to underestimate the amount of seed fall. The current adhesives used have been found to lose stickiness when moist from both dew and rainfall, and it is suspected that seeds may 'bounce' off the trap after hitting the trap surface. This experiment investigated 13 adhesive products, as well as some alternative designs to trap falling seed particles. Products were tested for stickiness, weather durability and seed bounce.

Throughout this trial it was found that the Tangle-trap® was the most weather resistant product to use as an adhesive for sticky seed traps. This product retained its stickiness during extreme weather events, and retained more than 50% of the attached seed during the experimental period, despite very heavy rain. Nylex Auscal® and 3M Cast® were also effective products, but became ineffective for retaining seeds in extreme weather events. These products retained the seeds stuck to them for the full 15 days of the experiment during mild weather, regained their stickiness when dry despite several periods of light rain and morning dew, and showed less than 1% loss due to bounce of falling seed. 3M Cast®, however, was relatively costly and difficult to use.

It was concluded that sticky seed traps using either Nylex Auscal® or Tangle-trap® would be the best materials for monitoring the evenness of aerial sowing, and could be used for short-term monitoring of seed shed from seed trees. No product trialled retained all the seeds stuck to it during severe thunderstorms with heavy rain. This limitation reduces the application of sticky seed traps in the field. Funnel seed traps remain the most accurate method for the long-term monitoring of seed fall.