Morphological and Chemical Traits of Cladonia Respond to Multiple Environmental Factors in Acidic Dry Grasslands

Microorganisms

Gabriele Gheza¹  Juri Nascimbene¹  Chiara Vallese¹  Renato Benesperi²  LucaDi Nuzzo²  Matteo Barcella³  Silvia Assini³  Paolo Giordani⁴ 

[1] BIOME Lab, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum–University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy;Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via La Pira 4, 50121 Florence, Italy;Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy;Department of Pharmacy, University of Genova, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy;

关键词: lichens;    open dry habitats;    reproduction strategy;    secondary metabolites;    species traits;    thallus growth forms;   

DOI  :  10.3390/microorganisms9020453

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Terricolous lichen communities in lowlands occur especially in open dry habitats. Such communities are often dominated by species of the genus Cladonia, which are very variable in morphology, reproduction strategies, and secondary metabolites. In this work, we investigated traits-environment relationships considering vegetation dynamics, substrate pH, disturbance, and climate. A total of 122 plots were surveyed in 41 acidic dry grasslands in the western Po Plain (Northern Italy). Relationships between Cladonia traits and environmental variables were investigated by means of a model-based Fourth Corner Analysis. Thallus morphology and metabolites responded to vegetation dynamics, substrate pH, disturbance, and climate, whereas reproduction strategies responded only to vegetation dynamics. Traits’ correlations with vegetation dynamics elucidate their colonization patterns in open dry habitats or suggest biotic interactions with bryophytes and vascular plants. In addition, correlations between metabolites and environmental factors support interpretations of their ecological roles. Our results also stress the importance of studying traits’ relationships with climatic factors as an alert towards lichen reactions to climate change.

【 授权许可】

Unknown