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Gas exchange and carbon isotope discrimination in lichens: Evidence for interactions between CO2-concentrating mechanisms and diffusion limitation

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Abstract

The characteristics of gas exchange and carbon isotope discrimination were determined for a number of lichen species, representing contrasting associations between fungal (mycobiont) and photosynthetic (photobiont) organism. These parameters were evaluated with regard to the occurrence of any CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) expressed specifically by the green algal (phycobiont) or cyanobacterial (cyanobiont) partner. Carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) fell into three categories. The highest Δ, found in lichens comprising a phycobiont plus cyanobacteria limited to pockets in the thallus (known as cephalodia), ranged from 24 to 28‰, equivalent to a carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) of around -32 to-36‰ vs. Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB) standard. Further evidence was consistent with CO2 supply to the carboxylating system entirely mediated by diffusion rather than a CCM, in that thallus CO2 compensation point and online instantaneous Δ were also high, in the range normally associated with C3 higher plants. For lichens consisting of phycobiont or cyanobiont alone, organic material Δ formed two distinct ranges around 15‰ (equivalent to a δ13C of -23%.). Thallus compensation point and instantaneous Δ were lower in the cyanobiont group, which also showed higher maximum rates of net photosynthesis, whether expressed on the basis of thallus dry weight, chlorophyll content or area. These data provide additional evidence for the activity of a CCM in cyanobiont lichens, which only show photosynthetic activity when reactivated with liquid water. Rates of net CO2 uptake were lower in both phycobiont associations, but were relatively constant across a wide working range of thallus water contents, usually in parallel with on-line Δ. The phycobiont response was consistent whether photosynthesis had been reactivated with liquid water or water vapour. The effect of diffusion limitation could generally be seen with a 3–4‰ decrease in instantaneous Δ at the highest water contents. The expression of a CCM in phycobiont algae, although reduced compared with that in cyanobacteria, has already been related to the occurrence of pyrenoids in chloroplasts. In view of the inherent requirement of cyanobacteria for some form of CCM, and the smaller pools of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC = CO2 + HCO su−inf3 + CO su2−inf3 ) associated with phycobiont lichens, it appears that Δ characteristics provide a good measure of the magnitude of any CCM, albeit tempered by diffusion limitation at the highest thallus water contents.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

analysis of variance

CCM:

CO2-concentrating mechanism

cyanobiont:

cyanobacterium

DIC:

CO2 + HCO su−inf3 + CO su2−inf3 (dissolved inorganic carbon)

photobiont:

photosynthetic organism present in the association

phycobiont:

green alga

phycobiont + cephalodia:

green algae + cyanobacteria in cephalodia

Pmax:

maximum photosynthetic rate

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density, 400–700 nm

Rubisco:

ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

Δ:

carbon isotope discrimination (‰)

δ13C:

carbon isotope ratio (‰)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. F.C.U.L. Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Seccão de Ecologia e Sistemática dos Vegetais, Universidade de Lisboa, Bloco C2, Campo Grande, 1700, Lisboa, Portugal

    C. Máguas

  2. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Ridley Building, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, Newcastle, UK

    C. Máguas, H. Griffiths & M. S. J. Broadmeadow

Authors
  1. C. Máguas
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  2. H. Griffiths
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  3. M. S. J. Broadmeadow
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Correspondence to H. Griffiths.

Additional information

We would like to thank Dr. Enrico Brugnoli (CNR, Porano, Italy) and E.C. Smith (University of Newcastle) for many helpful discussions. Dr. Kristin Palmqvist (Department of Plant Physiology, University of Umeå, Sweden) kindly provided the samples of Peltigera apthosa. In particularly, Cristina Máguas would like to thank to Prof. Fernando Catarino (University of Lisbon) for his support throughout this study. Cristina Máguas has been supported by JNICT-Science Programme studentship (BD/153/90-RN).

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Máguas, C., Griffiths, H. & Broadmeadow, M.S.J. Gas exchange and carbon isotope discrimination in lichens: Evidence for interactions between CO2-concentrating mechanisms and diffusion limitation. Planta 196, 95–102 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00193222

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