Lichen Monitoring and Climate Change

Insarov, Gregory; Schroeter, B.

doi:10.1007/978-94-010-0423-7_13

Cited by 22 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The experimental design adopted in the present study aimed at detecting responses induced by a regional climatic gradient and at reducing the noise of other disturbances that make difficult attributing an observed change to a specific cause (Insarov and Schroeter 2002). Background air pollution generally increases oxidant levels throughout the lower atmosphere and the hydrosphere.…”

Section: Detecting Responses To a Climatic Stress In Arid Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These parameters are very important in arid and semi-arid environments, where water is the main limiting factor for land use performance and biomass production of ecosystems (Kosmas et al 1999) and drought is the major factor shaping vegetation and controlling plant functions in water-limited ecosystems (Rambal et al 2003). All the above factors influence sensitive organisms such as lichens, either directly or indirectly through modifications in their habitats, so that ecophysiology, growth, biomass, community structure and distribution can all change in space and time (Insarov and Insarova 1996;Insarov and Schroeter 2002). Lichens, as symbiotic organisms able to regain active metabolism any time the amount of hydration is high enough (Lange 2003), base their survival on the absorption of water and nutrients from the air, differing in that from higher plants, which depend mainly on soil for their nutrition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since programmes aimed at assessing biological effects of climate change should be undertaken where climatic gradients are steep and changes are foreseen to be faster, e.g. along biome boundaries, polar regions, coastal zones especially in small islands, and mountain areas (Insarov et al 1999;Insarov and Schroeter 2002), a change of climatic conditions was simulated by transplanting lichen samples along an altitudinal gradient in the northern side of the island of Crete (Greece). Our hypothesis was that the photosynthetic performance (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Photosynthetic performance of lichen transplants as early indicator of climatic stress along an altitudinal gradient in the arid Mediterranean area

2011

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A climatic change was simulated transplanting samples of the lichens Evernia prunastri (L.) Ach. and Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf v. furfuracea along a 1,400 m altitudinal gradient in the northern side of the island of Crete (Greece). The working hypothesis was that the photosynthetic performance (i.e. pigment content, chlorophyll degradation and photosynthetic efficiency) of transplanted lichens varies along the altitudinal gradient. The overall effect observed was a general depression of the photosynthetic performance along the gradient. Concentrations of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids decreased with decreasing elevation and along with the hottest and driest months of the year, with chlorophyll b being the most sensitive parameter to dry conditions. Chlorophyll degradation decreased with increasing elevation. The exposure period was the main factor affecting photosynthetic efficiency, with lower values during summer months. We argued that the water content of lichen thalli is the most important factor determining differences in photosynthesis under the experimental conditions. This allowed to suggest that the lichen photosynthetic performance deserves further investigation as early biological indicator of atmospheric stress induced by dry conditions and, to a greater extent, for the assessment of the desertification risk in the arid Mediterranean environment.

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Section: Detecting Responses To a Climatic Stress In Arid Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Photosynthetic performance of lichen transplants as early indicator of climatic stress along an altitudinal gradient in the arid Mediterranean area

2011

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“…The poikylohydric nature of lichens provides the basis for their different sensitivity to both water and energy compared with vascular plants. Both factors directly control relevant ecophysiological processes influencing growth rates and species distribution (Insarov & Schroeter, ). In particular, their physiology is closely coupled with ambient temperature and moisture conditions (Green et al ., ), which influence thallus water saturation and desiccation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epiphytic lichen diversity along elevational gradients: biological traits reveal a complex response to water and energy

Nascimbene

Marini

2015

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim Patterns of epiphytic lichen diversity along elevational gradients covering the range of Norway spruce forests were analysed. The roles of water and energy variables in shaping the observed species-elevation relationship were tested, as well as how growth form and photobiont type distribution varied along the gradient.Location South Tyrol, northern Italy.Methods Eight sites were selected spanning the elevational range of spruce forests (900-1900 m a.s.l.) and the regional rainfall gradient. At each site, a pair of forest stands (one mature even-aged and one multilayered) was selected at three elevation steps. Epiphytic lichens were surveyed according to European guidelines for lichen diversity monitoring. Explanatory variables indicative of both forest structure and climate were included in the models.Results A positive relationship was found between number of species and elevation. This reflected the physiological response of epiphytic lichens to the main climatic factors, trait selection being the mechanism that determined the response at community level. Nonlinear species-temperature and trait-temperature relationships predicted that major changes may be expected in the intermediate part of the gradient. Lichens with a Trentepohlia algal partner were more frequent at lower elevations and proved to be sensitive to environmental factors indicative of forest structure. Lichen growth forms had contrasting patterns related to temperature, crustose species richness being enhanced by increasing values, and alectorioid and foliose lichens by decreasing values. Alectorioid lichens were also negatively influenced by rainfall.Main conclusions In a climate change scenario, lichen diversity in alpine regions will probably not benefit from an increase in air temperature in the same way as flowering plants. Monitoring variations in the proportions of growth form and photobiont type may represent a tool for detecting the effects of climate change on lichen species.

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“…Lichens have been successfully employed as bioindicators of environmental pollution and ecosystem health in temperate regions Rose 1970, 1976;Nimis 1999;Insarov and Schroeter 2002;Nimis et al 2002), including standardization using models such as the Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP; LeBlanc and De Sloover 1970) or rigorous guidelines such as the German VDI 3957 for the use of lichens as bioindicators (Bartholmess et al 2004). Rose (1974) developed the Index of Ecological Continuity (IEC), a measure of lichen species richness depending on ecological continuity, which was later modified as 'Revised' (RIEC) and 'New' (NIEC) Index of Ecological Continuity (Rose 1976(Rose , 1992Selva 1994Selva , 1996Zedda 2004).…”

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confidence: 99%

When family matters: an analysis of Thelotremataceae (Lichenized Ascomycota: Ostropales) as bioindicators of ecological continuity in tropical forests

2007

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We analysed patterns of habitat and microhabitat preferences of 19 families (comprising 135 genera and 950 species) of crustose, corticolous lichens in Costa Rica (Arthoniaceae, Arthopyreniaceae, Coenogoniaceae, Graphidaceae, Lecanoraceae, Letrouitiaceae, Monoblastiaceae, Pertusariaceae, Physciaceae, Pilocarpaceae, Porinaceae, Pyrenulaceae, Ramalinaceae, Roccellaceae, Strigulaceae, Teloschistaceae, Thelenellaceae, Thelotremataceae, Trypetheliaceae), in order to test whether Thelotremataceae are suitable predictors of undisturbed tropical rain forest and can be used as bioindicators of ecological continuity. The dataset consisted of 12,215 specimen samples and six environmental parameters recorded for each sample (altitude, degree of seasonality, vegetation type, disturbance level, substrate nature, light exposure), which were analysed by a multivariate approach using principal component analysis (PCA). The analysis showed that three of the 19 families, Letrouitiaceae, Porinaceae, and Thelotremataceae, showed significant preferences for undisturbed primary to old growth secondary forest, fully shaded to semiexposed microhabitats, and the bark of mature tree trunks, parameters assumed to be correlated with ecological continuity of closed rain forest habitats. Thelotremataceae had broader altitudinal range than Letrouitiaceae and Porinaceae and significantly higher genus and species diversity (16 genera, 130 species) compared to Porinaceae (4 genera, 40 species) and Letrouitiaceae (1 genus, 5 species). Our results support the hypothesis that Thelotremataceae perform best as predictors of undisturbed dry and lowland to montane

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Lichen Monitoring and Climate Change

Cited by 22 publications

References 33 publications

Photosynthetic performance of lichen transplants as early indicator of climatic stress along an altitudinal gradient in the arid Mediterranean area

Photosynthetic performance of lichen transplants as early indicator of climatic stress along an altitudinal gradient in the arid Mediterranean area

Epiphytic lichen diversity along elevational gradients: biological traits reveal a complex response to water and energy

When family matters: an analysis of Thelotremataceae (Lichenized Ascomycota: Ostropales) as bioindicators of ecological continuity in tropical forests

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