Longitudinal Photosynthetic Gradient in Crust Lichens’ Thalli

Li Wu, Gaoke Zhang, Shubin Lan, Delu Zhang, Chunxiang Hu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In order to evaluate the self-shading protection for inner photobionts, the photosynthetic activities of three crust lichens were detected using Microscope-Imaging-PAM. The false color images showed that longitudinal photosynthetic gradient was found in both the green algal lichen Placidium sp. and the cyanolichen Peltula sp. In longitudinal direction, all the four chlorophyll fluorescence parameters Fv/Fm, Yield, qP, and rETR gradually decreased with depth in the thalli of both of these two lichens. In Placidium sp., qN values decreased with depth, whereas an opposite trend was found in Peltula sp. However, no such photosynthetic heterogeneity was found in the thalli of Collema sp. in longitudinal direction. Microscope observation showed that photobiont cells are compactly arranged in Placidium sp. and Peltula sp. while loosely distributed in Collema sp. It was considered that the longitudinal photosynthetic heterogeneity was ascribed to the result of gradual decrease of incidence caused by the compact arrangement of photobiont cells in the thalli. The results indicate a good protection from the self-shading for the inner photobionts against high radiation in crust lichens
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)888-896
Number of pages9
JournalMicrobial Ecology
Volume67
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Jan 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • photosynthetically active radiation
  • soil crust
  • lichen species
  • chlorophyll fluorescence parameter
  • scytonemin

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