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The influence of growth form and substrate on lichen ecophysiological responses along an aridity gradient

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Abstract

In this paper, we investigated whether growth form and substrate in lichens influence their physiological responses along an aridity gradient. Thalli of the foliose lichen Parmotrema perlatum and the fruticose lichen Ramalina canariensis were transplanted in selected rural/forested sites of Southern Portugal characterized by a different aridity index. Physiological parameters including photosynthetic performances, assimilation pigments, ergosterol content and sample viability were measured prior to exposure (winter) and after 6-month exposure (summer). Photosynthetic performances were also investigated in common native foliose and fruticose epiphytic lichens and in fruticose terricolous species. Both transplanted and native lichens showed a decrease in photosynthetic performances in summer and lower performances in sites classified as drier and higher performances in humid forested sites. No relevant differences occurred between epiphytic foliose and fruticose growth forms. However, terricolous fruticose samples showed a significant difference in humid and drier sites and between winter and summer, probably due to microclimatic conditions similarly to other biological crusts.

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Acknowledgements

The project was developed within COST Action ES1104 “Arid Lands Restoration and Combat of Desertification”. We acknowledge the European Union Seventh Framework Programme ([FP7/2007-2013] [FP7/2007-2011]) under grant agreement no. [301785]. SM thanks the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) Investigador grant and the FCT project IF/00964/2013. Authors are grateful to the anonymous reviewer for language revision.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Luca Paoli & Stefano Loppi

  2. cE3c, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Bloco C2, Piso 5, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal

    Pedro Pinho, Cristina Branquinho & Silvana Munzi

  3. Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa (CERENA-IST-UL), Lisbon, Portugal

    Pedro Pinho

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  1. Luca Paoli
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  2. Pedro Pinho
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  3. Cristina Branquinho
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  4. Stefano Loppi
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  5. Silvana Munzi
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Correspondence to Silvana Munzi.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Paoli, L., Pinho, P., Branquinho, C. et al. The influence of growth form and substrate on lichen ecophysiological responses along an aridity gradient. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 26206–26212 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9361-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9361-2

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