The advantage of growing on moss: facilitative effects on photosynthetic performance and growth in the cyanobacterial lichen Peltigera rufescens

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorColesie, Claudia
dc.contributor.authorScheu, Sarah
dc.contributor.authorGreen, T.G. Allan
dc.contributor.authorWeber, Bettina
dc.contributor.authorWirth, Rainer
dc.contributor.authorBüdel, Burkhard
dc.date.accessioned2012-04-18T23:50:50Z
dc.date.available2012-04-18T23:50:50Z
dc.date.copyright2011-12-20
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractFacilitative effects and plant–plant interactions are well known for higher plants, but there is a lack of information about their relevance in cryptogams. Additional information about facilitative effects between bryophytes and lichens would be an important contribution to recent research on positive plant–plant interactions, as these can have striking influences not only on the organisation of early successional terrestrial communities but also on succession dynamics by kick-starting ecosystem development through the import of key nutrients. We investigated and quantified these mechanisms between Peltigera rufescens and its associated mosses. Moss-associated thalli had a different morphology that led to several benefits from the association. They had 66% higher net photosynthetic rate and, because the majority of the gas exchange of lichen thalli took place through the lower surface, there was a further increase as the CO₂ concentration was >25% higher beneath moss-associated thalli. Microclimatic measurements showed that mean light levels were substantially lower and temperature extremes slightly ameliorated for moss-associated thalli. As a consequence, desiccation was slower which is, together with an increase in thallus thickness and water storage, the reason for extended periods of optimal net photosynthesis for the moss-associated thalli. All these beneWts combined to produce a growth rate of the moss-associated thalli which was significantly higher, twice that of non-associated thalli [0.75 ± 0.4 vs. 0.30 ± 0.1 mm/ month (mean ± SD)]. This appears to be the first demonstration of a strong mechanistic basis for facilitative effects between lichens and bryophytes.en_NZ
dc.identifier.citationColesie, C., Scheu, S., Green, T.G.A., Weber, B., Wirth, R. & Büdel, B. (2011). The advantage of growing on moss: facilitative effects on photosynthetic performance and growth in the cyanobacterial lichen Peltigera rufescens, Oecologia, Publish online 20 December 2011.en_NZ
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s00442-011-2224-5en_NZ
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10289/6233
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringeren_NZ
dc.relation.isPartOfOecologiaen_NZ
dc.relation.ispartofOecologia
dc.relation.urihttp://www.springerlink.com/content/d255704488385443/en_NZ
dc.subjectassociationen_NZ
dc.subjectecosystem functioningen_NZ
dc.subjectEcophysiologyen_NZ
dc.subjectCO₂ exchangeen_NZ
dc.subjectplant interactionsen_NZ
dc.titleThe advantage of growing on moss: facilitative effects on photosynthetic performance and growth in the cyanobacterial lichen Peltigera rufescensen_NZ
dc.typeJournal Articleen_NZ
pubs.begin-page1en_NZ
pubs.elements-id37102
pubs.end-page9en_NZ
pubs.issue3en_NZ
pubs.volumeonlineen_NZ
Files
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Name: license.txt
Size: 1.71 KB
Kind: License
Collections
Science and Engineering Papers