Jung, P.; Emrích, D.; Briegel‐Williams, L.; Schermer, M.; Weber, L.; Baumann, K.; Colesie, C.; Clerc, P.; Lehnert, L.; Achilles, S.; Bendix, J. & Büdel, B. (2019): <b> Ecophysiology and phylogeny of new terricolous and epiphytic chlorolichens in a fog oasis of the Atacama Desert</b>. <i>Microbiology Open</i> <b>8</b>, 1-21.
Resource Description
Title:
Ecophysiology and phylogeny of new terricolous and epiphytic chlorolichens in a fog oasis of the Atacama Desert
email:
bendix <at> staff.uni-marburg.de
Deutschhausstraße 12
Room No. 02 A 48
35032 Marburg
Faculty of Geography
Germany
Individual:
Burkhard Büdel
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Abstract:
The Atacama Desert is one of the driest and probably oldest deserts on Earth where <br/>
only a few extremophile organisms are able to survive. This study investigated two <br/>
terricolous and two epiphytic lichens from the fog oasis “Las Lomitas” within the <br/>
National Park Pan de Azúcar which represents a refugium for a few vascular desert <br/>
plants and many lichens that can thrive on fog and dew alone. Ecophysiological meas‐<br/>
urements and climate records were combined with molecular data of the mycobiont, <br/>
their green algal photobionts and lichenicolous fungi to gain information about the <br/>
ecology of lichens within the fog oasis. Phylogenetic and morphological investiga‐<br/>
tions led to the identification and description of the new lichen species Acarospora <br/>
conafii sp. nov. as well as the lichenicolous fungi that accompanied them and revealed <br/>
the trebouxioid character of all lichen photobionts. Their photosynthetic responses <br/>
were compared during natural scenarios such as reactivation by high air humidity <br/>
and in situ fog events to elucidate the activation strategies of this lichen community. <br/>
Epiphytic lichens showed photosynthetic activity that was rapidly induced by fog <br/>
and high relative air humidity whereas terricolous lichens were only activated by fog.
Keywords:
| gas exchange | ITS | lichen | lichenicolous fungi | rbcL | Trebouxia |
Literature type specific fields:
ARTICLE
Journal:
Microbiology Open
Volume:
8
Page Range:
1-21
Publisher:
Wiley
ISSN:
2045-8827
Metadata Provider:
Individual:
Jörg Bendix
Contact:
email:
bendix <at> staff.uni-marburg.de
Deutschhausstraße 12
Room No. 02 A 48
35032 Marburg
Faculty of Geography
Germany
