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Morera-Gómez Y, Armas-Camejo A, Santamaría JM, Alonso-Hernández CM, Lasheras E, Widory D, Elustondo D. Chemical and C and N stable isotope compositions of three species of epiphytic Tillandsia in a Caribbean coastal zone: air pollution sources and biomonitoring implications. ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH STUDIES 2024; 60:141-161. [PMID: 38270129 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2024.2304756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
We characterized the elemental and C and N stable isotope compositions of Tillandsia fasciculata Sw., Tillandsia balbisiana Schult. & Schult.f. and Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L. samples collected in Cienfuegos (Cuba). Results showed high enrichment factors for S, Hg, Cd, Pb, P, Zn, Cu, Mo, Sb and Ca in all Tillandsia species, indicating inputs from local anthropogenic activities (road traffic, industries and cement production). Carbon concentrations and δ13C varied from 38.3-47.7 % and -20.4 to -13.4 ‰ within the three species, respectively. δ13C showed seasonal dependence with the dry and wet periods and more 13C-depleted values in urban/industrial areas, coherent with the input of anthropogenic emissions. Nitrogen concentrations (0.4-1.3 %) and δ15N values (-9.9-4.4 ‰) exhibit larger variations and are positively correlated in the three species. The most positive δ15N in T. recurvata (-0.2-4.4 ‰) are attributed to contributions from industrial activities and road traffic. In fact, both δ15N and total nitrogen (TN) values increase in sites with higher road traffic and show significant correlations with typical road traffic and industrial tracers. Finally, we calculate an average total nitrogen deposition rate of 4.4 ± 2.3 kg ha-1 a-1 from N content in T. recurvata, similar to the existing values determined in the region by field measurements, but higher than the global terrestrial average.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasser Morera-Gómez
- Universidad de Navarra, Instituto de Biodiversidad y Medioambiente BIOMA, Pamplona, España
- Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Cienfuegos, Cienfuegos, Cuba
| | - Alejandro Armas-Camejo
- Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Cienfuegos, Cienfuegos, Cuba
- Research and Development Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Sancti Spíritus, Cuba
| | | | - Carlos Manuel Alonso-Hernández
- Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Cienfuegos, Cienfuegos, Cuba
- International Atomic Energy Agency, Environment Laboratories, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | - Esther Lasheras
- Universidad de Navarra, Instituto de Biodiversidad y Medioambiente BIOMA, Pamplona, España
| | - David Widory
- Geotop/Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montréal, Canada
| | - David Elustondo
- Universidad de Navarra, Instituto de Biodiversidad y Medioambiente BIOMA, Pamplona, España
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Niepsch D, Clarke LJ, Newton J, Tzoulas K, Cavan G. High spatial resolution assessment of air quality in urban centres using lichen carbon, nitrogen and sulfur contents and stable-isotope-ratio signatures. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:58731-58754. [PMID: 36991207 PMCID: PMC10163116 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26652-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution and poor air quality is impacting human health globally and is a major cause of respiratory and cardiovascular disease and damage to human organ systems. Automated air quality monitoring stations continuously record airborne pollutant concentrations, but are restricted in number, costly to maintain and cannot document all spatial variability of airborne pollutants. Biomonitors, such as lichens, are commonly used as an inexpensive alternative to assess the degree of pollution and monitor air quality. However, only a few studies combined lichen carbon, nitrogen and sulfur contents, with their stable-isotope-ratio signatures (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S values) to assess spatial variability of air quality and to 'fingerprint' potential pollution sources. In this study, a high-spatial resolution lichen biomonitoring approach (using Xanthoria parietina and Physcia spp.) was applied to the City of Manchester (UK), the centre of the urban conurbation Greater Manchester, including considerations of its urban characteristics (e.g., building heights and traffic statistics), to investigate finer spatial detail urban air quality. Lichen wt% N and δ15N signatures, combined with lichen nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) concentrations, suggest a complex mixture of airborne NOx and NHx compounds across Manchester. In contrast, lichen S wt%, combined with δ34S strongly suggest anthropogenic sulfur sources, whereas C wt% and δ13C signatures were not considered reliable indicators of atmospheric carbon emissions. Manchester's urban attributes were found to influence lichen pollutant loadings, suggesting deteriorated air quality in proximity to highly trafficked roads and densely built-up areas. Lichen elemental contents and stable-isotope-ratio signatures can be used to identify areas of poor air quality, particularly at locations not covered by automated air quality measurement stations. Therefore, lichen biomonitoring approaches provide a beneficial method to supplement automated monitoring stations and also to assess finer spatial variability of urban air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Niepsch
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK.
| | - Leon J Clarke
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK
| | - Jason Newton
- Stable Isotope Ecology Laboratory, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), East Kilbride, G75 0QF, UK
| | - Konstantinos Tzoulas
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK
| | - Gina Cavan
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK
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Greaver T, McDow S, Phelan J, Kaylor SD, Herrick JD, Jovan S. Synthesis of lichen response to gaseous nitrogen: ammonia versus nitrogen dioxide. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2023; 292:1-13. [PMID: 37475978 PMCID: PMC10355123 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.119396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The dominant chemical form of nitrogen pollution in the atmosphere in the U.S. is shifting from oxidized nitrogen, primarily from combustion of fossil fuels, to reduced nitrogen from agricultural animal waste and fertilizer applications. Does it matter to lichens? In this synthesis, we characterize U.S. air concentrations of the most ubiquitous gaseous forms of reduced and oxidized nitrogen, NO2 and NH3, respectively, and their direct effects on lichens. In the U.S., the 3-year average (2017-2019) of the annual mean for each monitoring site ranges up to 56.4 μg NO2 m-3 (~30 ppb) and 6 μg NH3 m-3 (~9 ppb). The spatial coverage of current routine monitoring of NO2 and NH3 likely does not accurately represent exposures of NO2 to ecosystems in rural areas or capture spikes of NH3 concentrations proximal to intensive agriculture, which are documented to exceed 700 μg NH3 m-3 (~1000 ppb) for short durations. Both NO2 and NH3 can act as nutrients to lichens, but as exposures rise, both can cause physiological stress and mortality that then change community composition and diversity. There is a growing body of evidence that lichen community composition is altered at current levels of exposure in the U.S. with estimated no effect or lowest effect concentrations from <1-3 μg m-3 NO2 and <1 μg m-3 NH3. Better spatial characterization of both NO2 and NH3 concentrations, especially near intensive agriculture, would help to characterize the extent of the impacts across the U.S. These findings are discussed in the context of U.S. air pollution policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Greaver
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - Stephen McDow
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | | | - S. Douglas Kaylor
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - Jeffrey D. Herrick
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - Sarah Jovan
- USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station, 620 SW Main, Suite 502, Portland, OR 97205, USA
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4
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Embracing Uncertainty and Probabilistic Outcomes for Ecological Critical Loads. Ecosystems 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-022-00774-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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5
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Esseen P, Ekström M, Grafström A, Jonsson BG, Palmqvist K, Westerlund B, Ståhl G. Multiple drivers of large-scale lichen decline in boreal forest canopies. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:3293-3309. [PMID: 35156274 PMCID: PMC9310866 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Thin, hair-like lichens (Alectoria, Bryoria, Usnea) form conspicuous epiphyte communities across the boreal biome. These poikilohydric organisms provide important ecosystem functions and are useful indicators of global change. We analyse how environmental drivers influence changes in occurrence and length of these lichens on Norway spruce (Picea abies) over 10 years in managed forests in Sweden using data from >6000 trees. Alectoria and Usnea showed strong declines in southern-central regions, whereas Bryoria declined in northern regions. Overall, relative loss rates across the country ranged from 1.7% per year in Alectoria to 0.5% in Bryoria. These losses contrasted with increased length of Bryoria and Usnea in some regions. Occurrence trajectories (extinction, colonization, presence, absence) on remeasured trees correlated best with temperature, rain, nitrogen deposition, and stand age in multinomial logistic regression models. Our analysis strongly suggests that industrial forestry, in combination with nitrogen, is the main driver of lichen declines. Logging of forests with long continuity of tree cover, short rotation cycles, substrate limitation and low light in dense forests are harmful for lichens. Nitrogen deposition has decreased but is apparently still sufficiently high to prevent recovery. Warming correlated with occurrence trajectories of Alectoria and Bryoria, likely by altering hydration regimes and increasing respiration during autumn/winter. The large-scale lichen decline on an important host has cascading effects on biodiversity and function of boreal forest canopies. Forest management must apply a broad spectrum of methods, including uneven-aged continuous cover forestry and retention of large patches, to secure the ecosystem functions of these important canopy components under future climates. Our findings highlight interactions among drivers of lichen decline (forestry, nitrogen, climate), functional traits (dispersal, lichen colour, sensitivity to nitrogen, water storage), and population processes (extinction/colonization).
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Affiliation(s)
- Per‐Anders Esseen
- Department of Ecology and Environmental ScienceUmeå UniversityUmeåSweden
| | - Magnus Ekström
- Department of Statistics, USBEUmeå UniversityUmeåSweden
- Department of Forest Resource ManagementSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Anton Grafström
- Department of Forest Resource ManagementSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Bengt Gunnar Jonsson
- Department of Natural SciencesMid Sweden UniversitySundsvallSweden
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Environmental SciencesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Kristin Palmqvist
- Department of Ecology and Environmental ScienceUmeå UniversityUmeåSweden
| | - Bertil Westerlund
- Department of Forest Resource ManagementSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Göran Ståhl
- Department of Forest Resource ManagementSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
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6
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Selecting Biomonitors of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition: Guidelines for Practitioners and Decision Makers. NITROGEN 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/nitrogen2030021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental pollution is a major threat to public health and is the cause of important economic losses worldwide. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition is one of the most significant components of environmental pollution, which, in addition to being a health risk, is one of the leading drivers of global biodiversity loss. However, monitoring pollution is not possible in many regions of the world because the instrumentation, deployment, operation, and maintenance of automated systems is onerous. An affordable alternative is the use of biomonitors, naturally occurring or transplanted organisms that respond to environmental pollution with a consistent and measurable ecophysiological response. This policy brief advocates for the use of biomonitors of atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Descriptions of the biological and monitoring particularities of commonly utilized biomonitor lichens, bryophytes, vascular epiphytes, herbs, and woody plants, are followed by a discussion of the principal ecophysiological parameters that have been shown to respond to the different nitrogen emissions and their rate of deposition.
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Zhang Q, Li Y, Wang M, Wang K, Meng F, Liu L, Zhao Y, Ma L, Zhu Q, Xu W, Zhang F. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition: A review of quantification methods and its spatial pattern derived from the global monitoring networks. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 216:112180. [PMID: 33865187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is a vital component of the global N cycle. Excessive N deposition on the Earth's surface has adverse impacts on ecosystems and humans. Quantification of atmospheric N deposition is indispensable for assessing and addressing N deposition-induced environmental issues. In the present review, we firstly summarized the current methods applied to quantify N deposition (wet, dry, and total N deposition), their advantages and major limitations. Secondly, we illustrated the long-term N deposition monitoring networks worldwide and the results attained via such long-term monitoring. Results show that China faces heavier N deposition than the United States, European countries, and other countries in East Asia. Next, we proposed a framework for estimating the atmospheric wet and dry N deposition using a combined method of surface monitoring, modeling, and satellite remote sensing. Finally, we put forth the critical research challenges and future directions of the atmospheric N deposition. CAPSULE: A review of quantification methods and the global data on nitrogen deposition and a systematic framework was proposed for quantifying nitrogen deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yanan Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mengru Wang
- Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kai Wang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Fanlei Meng
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lei Liu
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuanhong Zhao
- College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Lin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Hebei Key Laboratory of Soil Ecology, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetic and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 286 Huaizhong Road, Shijiazhuang 050021, Hebei, China
| | - Qichao Zhu
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wen Xu
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Fusuo Zhang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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8
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Vitt DH, House M, Kitchen S, Wieder RK. A protocol for monitoring plant responses to changing nitrogen deposition regimes in Alberta bogs. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2020; 192:743. [PMID: 33136233 PMCID: PMC7606289 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-08645-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Bogs are nutrient poor, acidic ecosystems that receive their water and nutrients entirely from precipitation (= ombrogenous) and as a result are sensitive to nutrient loading from atmospheric sources. Bogs occur frequently on the northern Alberta landscape, estimated to cover 6% of the Athabasca Oil Sands Area. As a result of oil sand extraction and processing, emissions of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) to the atmosphere have led to increasing N and S deposition that have the potential to alter the structure and function of these traditionally nutrient-poor ecosystems. At present, no detailed protocol is available for monitoring potential change of these sensitive ecosystems. We propose a user-friendly protocol that will monitor potential plant and lichen responses to future environmental inputs of nutrients and provide a structured means for collecting annual data. The protocol centers on measurement of five key plant/lichen attributes, including changes in (1) plant abundances, (2) dominant shrub annual growth and primary production, (3) lichen health estimated through chlorophyll/phaeophytin concentrations, (4) Sphagnum annual growth and production, and (5) annual growth of the dominant tree species (Picea mariana). We placed five permanent plots in each of six bogs located at different distances from the center of oil sand extraction and sampled these for 2 years (2018 and 2019). We compared line intercept with point intercept plant assessments using NMDS ordination, concluding that both methods provide comparable data. These data indicated that each of our six bog sites differ in key species abundances. Structural differences were apparent for the six sites between years. These differences were mostly driven by changes in Vaccinium oxycoccos, not the dominant shrubs. We developed allometric growth equations for the dominant two shrubs (Rhododendron groenlandicum and Chamaedaphne calyculata). Equations developed for each of the six sites produced growth values that were not different from one another nor from one developed using data from all sites. Annual growth of R. groenlandicum differed between sites, but not years, whereas growth of C. calyculata differed between the 2 years with more growth in 2018 compared with 2019. In comparison, Sphagnum plant density and stem bulk density both had strong site differences, with stem mass density higher in 2019. When combined, annual production of S. fuscum was greater in 2019 at three sites and not different at three of the sites. Chlorophyll and phaeophytin concentrations from the epiphytic lichen Evernia mesomorpha also differed between sites and years. This protocol for field assessments of five key plant/lichen response variables indicated that both site and year are factors that must be accounted for in future assessments. A portion of the site variation was related to patterns of N and S deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale H Vitt
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA.
| | - Melissa House
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | - Samantha Kitchen
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | - R Kelman Wieder
- Department Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
- Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
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9
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Gauslaa Y, Goward T. Melanic pigments and canopy-specific elemental concentration shape growth rates of the lichen Lobaria pulmonaria in unmanaged mixed forest. FUNGAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2020.100984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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10
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Hurtado P, Prieto M, Aragón G, de Bello F, Martínez I. Intraspecific variability drives functional changes in lichen epiphytic communities across Europe. Ecology 2020; 101:e03017. [PMID: 32080841 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Traditional approaches in trait-based community ecology typically expect that trait filtering across broad environmental gradients is largely due to replacement of species, rather than intraspecific trait adjustments. Recently, the role of intraspecific trait variability has been largely highlighted as an important contributor mediating the ability of communities to persist under changing conditions and determining the community-level trait variation, particularly across limited environmental gradients. Unfortunately, few studies quantify the relative importance of species turnover versus intraspecific variability mediating the response of communities different from vascular plants. Here, we studied the functional changes in epiphytic lichen communities within 23 beech forests across large latitudinal (ca. 3,000 km) and environmental gradients in Europe to quantify the relative contribution of species turnover and intraspecific variability and the role of climate controlling community-level trait changes. For 58 lichen species, we focused on a set of 10 quantitative functional traits potentially affected by climatic conditions and related to photosynthetic performance (n = 1,184 thalli), water use strategy (n = 1,018 thalli), and nutrient uptake (n = 1,179 thalli). Our results showed that intraspecific trait variability explained most of the functional changes in lichen communities in response to the latitudinal gradient. Further, such functional changes were determined by the covariation between intraspecific trait variability and species turnover, which varied in sign depending on the trait considered. Finally, different climatic predictors explained functional variation due to both intraspecific trait variability and species turnover. We propose that lichen communities cope with contrasting climatic conditions by adjusting the functional trait values of the most abundant species within the communities rather than by the replacement of the species. Consequently, intraspecific variability should be explicitly incorporated to understand the effect of environmental changes on lichen communities, even over large environmental variations, better. Our results challenge the universality of the hypothesis that species turnover chiefly drives functional trait changes across large environmental gradients and call for a wider test of such important assumptions in trait ecology in different organism types and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Hurtado
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - María Prieto
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Gregorio Aragón
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Francesco de Bello
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CSIC-UV-GV), Carretera Moncada-Náquera km. 4.5, 46113, Valencia, Spain
| | - Isabel Martínez
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
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11
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Wang M, Wang C, Jia R. The impact of nitrogen deposition on photobiont-mycobiont balance of epiphytic lichens in subtropical forests of central China. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:13468-13476. [PMID: 31871658 PMCID: PMC6912883 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Excessive nitrogen (N) deposition can impact lichen diversity in forest ecosystems, and this is a particular situation in China. Here, we examined the N uptake, assimilation, and the impact of excessive N deposition on the symbiotic balance of dominant epiphytic lichens in the subtropical forests in the Mts. Shennongjia of central China. The results show that lichen species took up, assimilated and utilized more ammonium than nitrate in a species-specific way, following the increase of N availability. The photobiont of the lichens decreased with the increase of N concentration following an initial increase, while the mycobiont response to the N addition was not apparent. Considerable variation in response to excessive N deposition exists among the lichen species. Usnea longissima could regulate its N uptake, resulting in a stable photobiont-mycobiont ratio among N treatments. In contrast, the photobiont-mycobiont ratio of other four lichens increased initially but decreased when N concentration exceeded a certain level, and N stress may have broken the balance between photobiont and mycobiont of these lichens. Our results suggest that most epiphytic lichens in subtropical forest of central China could uptake and assimilate more ammonium than nitrate and that the balance between photobiont and mycobiont of many epiphytic lichens might change with the increasing N deposition load, which could impact the lichen diversity of this forest ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco‐environment in Three Gorges Reservoir RegionMinistry of EducationChina Three Gorges UniversityYichangChina
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Center of Ecological Protection and Management in the Three Gorges AreaChina Three Gorges UniversityYichangChina
| | - Chuanhua Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco‐environment in Three Gorges Reservoir RegionMinistry of EducationChina Three Gorges UniversityYichangChina
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Center of Ecological Protection and Management in the Three Gorges AreaChina Three Gorges UniversityYichangChina
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12
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Hoffman AS, Albeke SE, McMurray JA, Evans RD, Williams DG. Nitrogen deposition sources and patterns in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem determined from ion exchange resin collectors, lichens, and isotopes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 683:709-718. [PMID: 31150891 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Over the past century, atmospheric nitrogen deposition (Ndep) has increased across the western United States due to agricultural and urban development, resulting in degraded ecosystem quality. Regional patterns of Ndep are often estimated by coupling direct measurements from large-scale monitoring networks and atmospheric chemistry models, but such efforts can be problematic in the western US because of complex terrain and sparse sampling. This study aimed not only to understand Ndep patterns in mountainous ecosystems but also to investigate whether isotope values of lichens and throughfall deposition can be used to determine Ndep sources, and serve as an additional tool in ecosystem health assessments. We measured Ndep amounts and δ15N in montane conifer forests of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem using canopy throughfall and bulk monitors and lichens. In addition, we examined patterns of C:N ratios in lichens as a possible indicator of lichen physiological condition. The isotopic signature of δ15N of Ndep helps to discern emission sources, because δ15N of NOx from combustion tends to be high (-5 to +25‰) while NHx from agricultural sources tends to be comparatively low (-40 to -10‰). Summertime Ndep increased with elevation and ranged from 0.26 to 1.66 kg ha-1. Ndep was higher than expected in remote areas. The δ15N values of lichens were typically -15.3 to -10‰ suggesting agriculture as a primary emission source of deposition. Lichen %N, δ15N and C:N ratios can provide important information about Ndep sources and patterns over small spatial scales in complex terrain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shannon E Albeke
- University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, United States of America
| | - Jill A McMurray
- Bridger Teton National Forest, United States Forest Service, Pinedale, WY 82941, United States of America
| | - R David Evans
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States of America
| | - David G Williams
- University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, United States of America
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13
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Wang CH, Wang M, Jia RZ, Guo H. Thalli Growth, Propagule Survival, and Integrated Physiological Response to Nitrogen Stress of Ramalina calicaris var. japonica in Shennongjia Mountain (China). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:568. [PMID: 29868046 PMCID: PMC5953340 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In this study, effects of nitrogen (N) availability on growth, survival of Ramalina calicaris var. japonica, and whether it respond nitrogen stress in an integrated physiological way was evaluated. Thalli growth and propagule survival, thalli N and phosphorus (P) content, and activity of phosphomonoesterase (PME) of R. calicaris var. japonica were determined in a field experiment. Its differentiate adsorption in ammonia and nitrate, the activity of glutamine synthetase (GSA) and nitrate reductase (NRA) also were investigated in a series of indoor experiments. The results showed that N deposition significantly decreased the growth and survival of this lichen, and the N sensitivity threshold was suggested at 6.0 kg N⋅ha-1⋅y-1. When the N deposition increased from 8.59 kg N⋅ha-1⋅y-1 to 14.24, 20.49, 32.99 and 57.99 kg N⋅ha-1⋅y-1, the growth rates of lichen thalli decreased by 26.47, 39.01, 52.18 and 60.3%, respectively; Whereas the survival rate of the lichen propagules decreased from 92.8% of control (0.0 kg N⋅ha-1⋅y-1) to 10.7% of 50.0 kg N⋅ha-1⋅y-1, when they were treated with 0.00, 6.25, 12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 kg N⋅ha-1⋅y-1 deposition. Compared with an adequate adsorption of ammonium N, no nitrate adsorption occurred when thalli was submerged in solution lower than 0.4 mM. Our results also suggested that thalli total nitrogen, N:P ratio increased with N availability, and the activity of PME was significantly correlated with thalli total nitrogen. These all indicated that phosphorus limitation occurred when R. calicaris var. japonica treated with higher nitrogen deposition. Compared with slightly effects of NRA, GSA of R. calicaris var. japonica responded nitrogen availability significantly; In addition, GSA and NRA negatively correlated with thalli growth rate and propagule survival significantly. These results indicated that nitrogen stress do decrease growth and survival of R. calicaris var. japonica, and lichen would be impacted by excess nitrogen in a integrated, not a fragmentary way, including nitrogen uptake, assimilation, even nutrient balance of nitrogen and phosphorous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan-Hua Wang
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Center of Ecological Protection and Management in the Three Gorges Area, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Center of Ecological Protection and Management in the Three Gorges Area, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Rao-Zhen Jia
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Center of Ecological Protection and Management in the Three Gorges Area, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Hua Guo
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Center of Ecological Protection and Management in the Three Gorges Area, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
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14
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Manninen S. Deriving nitrogen critical levels and loads based on the responses of acidophytic lichen communities on boreal urban Pinus sylvestris trunks. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 613-614:751-762. [PMID: 28938217 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The deposition of reactive nitrogen (N) compounds currently predominates over sulphur (S) deposition in most of the cities in Europe and North America. Acidophytic lichens growing on tree trunks are known to be sensitive to both N and S deposition. Given that tree species and climatic factors affect the composition of epiphytic lichen communities and modify lichen responses to air pollution, this study focused on the impact of urban air pollution on acidophytes growing on boreal conifer trunks. The study was performed in the Helsinki metropolitan area, southern Finland, where annual mean nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations range from 4-5μgm-3 to >50μgm-3. In addition, background forest sites in southern and northern Finland were included. The results demonstrated elevated N contents (≥0.7%) in Hypogymnia physodes and Platismatia glauca at all the sites where the species occurred. In the Helsinki metropolitan area, a higher frequency of green algae+Scoliociosporum chlorococcum and reduced numerical frequencies of other indicator lichen species (e.g. Pseudevernia furfuracea, Bryoria spp., Usnea spp.) were associated with elevated atmospheric concentrations of NO2 and particulate matter containing N, as well as elevated concentrations of inorganic N in bark. The N isotope values (δ15N) of lichens supported the uptake of oxidized N mainly originating from road traffic. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) also negatively affected the most sensitive species, despite the current low levels (1-4μgm-3yr-1). Critical levels of 5μgNO2m-3yr-1 and 0.5μgNH3m-3yr-1, and a critical load of 2-3kgNha-1yr-1 are proposed for protecting the diversity of boreal acidophytes. This study calls for measurements of the throughfall of various N fractions in urban forest ecosystems along precipitation and temperature gradients to verify the proposed critical levels and loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirkku Manninen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, Viikinkaari 2a, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
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15
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Palmqvist K, Franklin O, Näsholm T. Symbiosis constraints: Strong mycobiont control limits nutrient response in lichens. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:7420-7433. [PMID: 28944027 PMCID: PMC5606882 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Symbioses such as lichens are potentially threatened by drastic environmental changes. We used the lichen Peltigera aphthosa-a symbiosis between a fungus (mycobiont), a green alga (Coccomyxa sp.), and N2-fixing cyanobacteria (Nostoc sp.)-as a model organism to assess the effects of environmental perturbations in nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P). Growth, carbon (C) and N stable isotopes, CNP concentrations, and specific markers were analyzed in whole thalli and the partners after 4 months of daily nutrient additions in the field. Thallus N was 40% higher in N-fertilized thalli, amino acid concentrations were twice as high, while fungal chitin but not ergosterol was lower. Nitrogen also resulted in a thicker algal layer and density, and a higher δ13C abundance in all three partners. Photosynthesis was not affected by either N or P. Thallus growth increased with light dose independent of fertilization regime. We conclude that faster algal growth compared to fungal lead to increased competition for light and CO 2 among the Coccomyxa cells, and for C between alga and fungus, resulting in neither photosynthesis nor thallus growth responded to N fertilization. This suggests that the symbiotic lifestyle of lichens may prevent them from utilizing nutrient abundance to increase C assimilation and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Palmqvist
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science (EMG)Umeå UniversityUmeåSweden
| | - Oskar Franklin
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)LaxenburgAustria
| | - Torgny Näsholm
- Department of Forest Ecology and ManagementSwedish University of Agriculture Sciences (SLU)UmeåSweden
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16
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Carter TS, Clark CM, Fenn ME, Jovan S, Perakis SS, Riddell J, Schaberg PG, Greaver TL, Hastings MG. Mechanisms of nitrogen deposition effects on temperate forest lichens and trees. Ecosphere 2017; 8:10.1002/ecs2.1717. [PMID: 34327038 PMCID: PMC8318115 DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We review the mechanisms of deleterious nitrogen (N) deposition impacts on temperate forests, with a particular focus on trees and lichens. Elevated anthropogenic N deposition to forests has varied effects on individual organisms depending on characteristics both of the N inputs (form, timing, amount) and of the organisms (ecology, physiology) involved. Improved mechanistic knowledge of these effects can aid in developing robust predictions of how organisms respond to either increases or decreases in N deposition. Rising N levels affect forests in micro- and macroscopic ways from physiological responses at the cellular, tissue, and organism levels to influencing individual species and entire communities and ecosystems. A synthesis of these processes forms the basis for the overarching themes of this paper, which focuses on N effects at different levels of biological organization in temperate forests. For lichens, the mechanisms of direct effects of N are relatively well known at cellular, organismal, and community levels, though interactions of N with other stressors merit further research. For trees, effects of N deposition are better understood for N as an acidifying agent than as a nutrient; in both cases, the impacts can reflect direct effects on short time scales and indirect effects mediated through long-term soil and belowground changes. There are many gaps on fundamental N use and cycling in ecosystems, and we highlight the most critical gaps for understanding potential deleterious effects of N deposition. For lichens, these gaps include both how N affects specific metabolic pathways and how N is metabolized. For trees, these gaps include understanding the direct effects of N deposition onto forest canopies, the sensitivity of different tree species and mycorrhizal symbionts to N, the influence of soil properties, and the reversibility of N and acidification effects on plants and soils. Continued study of how these N response mechanisms interact with one another, and with other dimensions of global change, remains essential for predicting ongoing changes in lichen and tree populations across North American temperate forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Therese S. Carter
- US Global Change Research Program, ICF Contractor, 1800 G Street NW, Suite 9100, Washington, D.C. 20006 USA
- Department of Chemistry, Brown University, 324 Brook Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 USA
| | - Christopher M. Clark
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Global Change Research Group, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W., Washington, D.C. 20460 USA
| | - Mark E. Fenn
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, California 92507 USA
| | - Sarah Jovan
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 620 SW Main Street, Portland, Oregon 97205 USA
| | - Steven S. Perakis
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Jennifer Riddell
- Sustainable Technology Program, Mendocino College, 1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah, California 95482 USA
| | - Paul G. Schaberg
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 705 Spear Street S, Burlington, Vermont 05405 USA
| | - Tara L. Greaver
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711 USA
| | - Meredith G. Hastings
- Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, 324 Brook Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 USA
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17
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Králiková I, Goga M, Biľová I, Bačkorová M, Bačkor M. Response of lichens Cladonia arbuscula subsp. mitis and Cladonia furcata to nitrogen excess. Biologia (Bratisl) 2016. [DOI: 10.1515/biolog-2016-0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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18
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Pavlova EA, Kuzmin AN, Pozdnyakov NV, Maslov AI. 15N – nitrate uptake and nitrogen exchange in the bionts of the lichen Parmelia sulcata. Symbiosis 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-016-0451-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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19
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Bajpai R, Mishra S, Dwivedi S, Upreti DK. Change in atmospheric deposition during last half century and its impact on lichen community structure in Eastern Himalaya. Sci Rep 2016; 6:30838. [PMID: 27502030 PMCID: PMC4977567 DOI: 10.1038/srep30838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Climatic fluctuations largely affects species turnover and cause major shifts of terrestrial ecosystem. In the present study the five decade old herbarium specimens of lichens were compared with recent collection from Darjeeling district with respect to elements, PAHs accumulation and carbon isotope composition (δ(13)C) to explore the changes in climatic conditions and its impact on lichen flora. The δ(13)C has increased in recent specimens which is in contrast to the assumption that anthropogenic emission leads to δ(13)C depletion in air and increased carbon discrimination in flora. Study clearly demonstrated an increase in anthropogenic pollution and drastic decrease in precipitation while temperature showed abrupt changes during the past five decades resulting in significant change in lichen community structure. The Usneoid and Pertusorioid communities increased, while Physcioid and Cyanophycean decreased, drastically. Lobarian abolished from the study area, however, Calcicoid has been introduced in the recent past. Probably, post-industrial revolution, the abrupt changes in the environment has influenced CO2 diffusion and/C fixation of (lower) plants either as an adaptation strategy or due to toxicity of pollutants. Thus, the short term studies (≤5 decades) might reflect recent micro-environmental condition and lichen community structure can be used as model to study the global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Bajpai
- Lichenology Laboratory, Plant Diversity Systematics and Herbarium Division, Lucknow, India
| | - Seema Mishra
- Plant Ecology and Environment Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow - 226001, India
| | - Sanjay Dwivedi
- Plant Ecology and Environment Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow - 226001, India
| | - Dalip Kumar Upreti
- Lichenology Laboratory, Plant Diversity Systematics and Herbarium Division, Lucknow, India
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20
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Sigurbjörnsdóttir MA, Andrésson ÓS, Vilhelmsson O. Nutrient scavenging activity and antagonistic factors of non-photobiont lichen-associated bacteria: a review. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 32:68. [PMID: 26931608 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-016-2019-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Lichens are defined as the specific symbiotic structure comprising a fungus and a green alga and/or cyanobacterium. Up until recently, non-photobiont endothallic bacteria, while known to be present in large numbers, have generally been dismissed as functionally irrelevant cohabitants of the lichen thallus, or even environmental contaminants. Recent analyses of lichen metagenomes and innovative co-culture experiments have uncovered a functionally complex community that appears to contribute to a healthy lichen thallus in several ways. Lichen-associated bacteriomes are typically dominated by several lineages of Proteobacteria, some of which may be specific for lichen species. Recent work has implicated members of these lineages in several important ecophysiological roles. These include nutrient scavenging, including mobilization of iron and phosphate, nitrogen fixation, cellulase, xylanase and amylase activities, and oxidation of recalcitrant compounds, e.g. aromatics and aliphatics. Production of volatile organic compounds, conferring antibacterial and antifungal activity, has also been demonstrated for several lichen-associated isolates. In the present paper we review the nature of non-phototrophic endolichenic bacteria associated with lichens, and give insight into the current state of knowledge on their importance the lichen symbiotic association.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Auður Sigurbjörnsdóttir
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Akureyri, Borgir vid Nordurslod, 600, Akureyri, Iceland.
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 101, Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | - Ólafur S Andrésson
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 101, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Vatnsmýrarvegur 16, 101, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Oddur Vilhelmsson
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Akureyri, Borgir vid Nordurslod, 600, Akureyri, Iceland
- Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Vatnsmýrarvegur 16, 101, Reykjavík, Iceland
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21
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Bermejo-Orduna R, McBride JR, Shiraishi K, Elustondo D, Lasheras E, Santamaría JM. Biomonitoring of traffic-related nitrogen pollution using Letharia vulpina (L.) Hue in the Sierra Nevada, California. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 490:205-212. [PMID: 24858218 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.04.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Revised: 04/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
To assess the impact of vehicular emissions on a mixed conifer forest, we measured the contents of the trace elements, N, C, and their respective natural isotopes (δ(15)N and δ(13)C), in the epiphytic lichen, L. vulpina. The samples were collected along transects perpendicular to Interstate 80 (I-80) and along a more remote, secondary forest road (R07). Distance to the road verge, trunk cover, and stand basal area were also recorded. Percent N ranged from 1.10% to 2.00% near I-80 and from 0.78% to 1.13% along R07. Concentrations of N, (15)N, Na, As, Pb, and Zn were enhanced in lichen samples near I-80 and were negatively correlated with distance from the road. Trunk cover values differed between roads (p<0.001) and were negatively correlated with %N (r(2)=0.74; p<0.001). The results indicate that vehicular N emissions are significant enough to alter the surrounding ecosystem, modifying the presence of a sensitive component such as L. vulpina, and suggest that a clean-site threshold of 1.0%N may be too high as an indicator of critical N load exceedance. The study also underscored the potential role of wolf lichen in a large-scale assessment of N deposition and source identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Bermejo-Orduna
- LICA, Department of Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Navarre, Spain
| | - J R McBride
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - K Shiraishi
- LICA, Department of Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Navarre, Spain
| | - D Elustondo
- LICA, Department of Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Navarre, Spain.
| | - E Lasheras
- LICA, Department of Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Navarre, Spain
| | - J M Santamaría
- LICA, Department of Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Navarre, Spain
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22
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Boltersdorf SH, Werner W. Lichens as a useful mapping tool?--an approach to assess atmospheric N loads in Germany by total N content and stable isotope signature. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2014; 186:4767-4778. [PMID: 24729179 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-014-3736-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2013] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
To assess whether nitrogen (N) content and δ(15)N ratios in nitrophytic lichen species (Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr. (1860) and Physcia spp. (Schreb.) Michaux (1803)) reflect the quantity and quality of atmospheric N loads, 348 lichen samples from 174 sampling grid cells were investigated in the western part of Germany. The analysed lichen N content ranged between 0.98 and 4.28 % and δ(15)N ratios between -15.2 and -1.3 ‰. Based on the N concentrations and the δ(15)N ratios of lichens, different landscape categories and coupled N deposition rates could be inferred for different regions of Germany. By analysing environmental variables like altitude, ammonia emission density, livestock unit and different defined deposition types, a direct relationship was found between lichen chemistry and N compounds produced from agricultural activity. The results support the development of a monitoring method which could be used nationally or even internationally to support current N deposition measurements, by providing reliable information on the quantity and quality of N deposition in high N environments.
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23
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Boltersdorf SH, Pesch R, Werner W. Comparative use of lichens, mosses and tree bark to evaluate nitrogen deposition in Germany. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2014; 189:43-53. [PMID: 24631972 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2014.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/15/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
To compare three biomonitoring techniques for assessing nitrogen (N) pollution in Germany, 326 lichen, 153 moss and 187 bark samples were collected from 16 sites of the national N deposition monitoring network. The analysed ranges of N content of all investigated biomonitors (0.32%-4.69%) and the detected δ(15)N values (-15.2‰-1.5‰), made it possible to reveal species specific spatial patterns of N concentrations in biota to indicate atmospheric N deposition in Germany. The comparison with measured and modelled N deposition data shows that particularly lichens are able to reflect the local N deposition originating from agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roland Pesch
- Chair of Landscape Ecology, University of Vechta, PO Box 1553, D-49356 Vechta, Germany.
| | - Willy Werner
- Department of Geobotany, University of Trier, Behringstr. 21, D-54296 Trier, Germany.
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24
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Asplund J, Wardle DA. Within-species variability is the main driver of community-level responses of traits of epiphytes across a long-term chronosequence. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Johan Asplund
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; SE-901 83 Umeå Sweden
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management; Norwegian University of Life Sciences; NO-1432 Aas Norway
| | - David A. Wardle
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; SE-901 83 Umeå Sweden
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25
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Langmann U, Madl P, Türk R, Hofmann W, Brunauer G. Sensitivity of Lichens to Diesel Exhaust under Laboratory Conditions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.4236/jep.2014.513127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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26
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Riddell J, Padgett PE, Nash TH. Physiological responses of lichens to factorial fumigations with nitric acid and ozone. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2012; 170:202-210. [PMID: 22832332 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2012.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2012] [Revised: 06/04/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
This paper addresses the effects of gaseous nitric acid (HNO(3)) and ozone (O(3)), two important air pollutants, on six lichen species with different morphological, ecological, and biological characteristics. The treatment chambers were set up in a factorial design consisting of control chambers, chambers fumigated with HNO(3), with O(3), and with HNO(3) and O(3), together. Each species showed a different sensitivity to the fumigations, reflecting the physiological variation among species. Our results clearly indicate that HNO(3) is a strong phytotoxin to many lichens, and that O(3) alone has little effect on the measured parameters. The combined fumigation effects of HNO(3) and O(3) were not significantly different from HNO(3) alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Riddell
- Arizona State University, School of Life Sciences, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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27
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Jovan S, Riddell J, Padgett PE, Nash TH. Eutrophic lichens respond to multiple forms of N: implications for critical levels and critical loads research. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2012; 22:1910-1922. [PMID: 23210308 DOI: 10.1890/11-2075.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Epiphytic lichen communities are highly sensitive to excess nitrogen (N), which causes the replacement of native floras by N-tolerant, "weedy" eutrophic species. This shift is commonly used as the indicator of ecosystem "harm" in studies developing empirical critical levels (CLE) for ammonia (NH3) and critical loads (CLO) for N. To be most effective, empirical CLE and/or CLO must firmly link lichen response to causal pollutant(s), which is difficult to accomplish in field studies in part because the high cost of N measurements limits their use. For this case study we synthesized an unprecedented array of atmospheric N measurements across 22 long-term monitoring sites in the Los Angeles Basin, California, USA: gas concentrations of NH3, nitric acid (HNO3), nitrogen dioxide, and ozone (n = 10 sites); N deposition in throughfall (n = 8 sites); modeled estimates of eight different forms of N (n = 22 sites); and nitrate deposition accumulated on oak twigs (n = 22 sites). We sampled lichens on black oak (Quercus kelloggii Newb.), and scored plots using two indices of eutroph (N tolerant species) abundance to characterize the community-level response to N. Our results contradict two common assertions about the lichen-N response: (1) that eutrophs respond specifically to NH3 and (2) that the response necessarily depends upon the increased pH of lichen substrates. Eutroph abundance related significantly but weakly to NH3 (r2 = 0.48). Total N deposition as measured in canopy throughfall was by far the best predictor of eutroph abundance (r2 = 0.94), indicating that eutrophs respond to multiple forms of N. Most N variables had significant correlations to eutroph abundance (r2 = 0.36-0.62) as well as to each other (r2 = 0.61-0.98), demonstrating the risk of mistaken causality in CLE/CLO field studies that lack sufficient calibration data. Our data furthermore suggest that eutroph abundance is primarily driven by N inputs, not substrate pH, at least at the high-pH values found in the basin (4.8-6.1). Eutroph abundance correlated negatively with trunk bark pH (r2 = 0.43), exactly the opposite of virtually all previous studies of eutroph behavior. This correlation probably results because HNO3 dominates N deposition in our study region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Jovan
- Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, USDA Forest Service, Portland Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 620 SW Main Street, Suite 400, Portland, Oregon 97205, USA.
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Adriaenssens S, Staelens J, Wuyts K, Samson R, Verheyen K, Boeckx P. Retention of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen by Foliage and Twigs of Four Temperate Tree Species. Ecosystems 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-012-9568-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Grandin U. Epiphytic algae and lichen cover in boreal forests-a long-term study along a N and S deposition gradient in Sweden. AMBIO 2011; 40:857-66. [PMID: 22201001 PMCID: PMC3357877 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-011-0205-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The aim was to describe spatiotemporal patterns of colonization of spruce branches by algae and lichens and the relationship with decreasing deposition of N and S. Coverage was estimated annually over 10 years for four Swedish Integrated Monitoring catchments with varying deposition levels. Initial hypotheses were that algal coverage would be positively correlated with deposition and that lichen coverage would be negatively correlated with S and positively with N deposition. Data were analyzed using regression, ANOVA, and partial least square regression. The results showed a temporal decrease in the coverage of algae but an increase in colonization rates, while lichens showed less uniform patterns. Within catchments, algae and lichen coverages were positively correlated with mainly S deposition. Across catchments, coverage of algae increased, while the coverage of lichens decreased with increasing N and S deposition. Colonization rates of both algae and lichens showed weak correlations with both spatial and temporal trends in N and S deposition. Thus, while N and S deposition had an effect on the colonization and coverage of algae and lichens, other factors are also important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulf Grandin
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7050, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Johansson O, Olofsson J, Giesler R, Palmqvist K. Lichen responses to nitrogen and phosphorus additions can be explained by the different symbiont responses. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2011; 191:795-805. [PMID: 21534972 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03739.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
• Responses to simulated nitrogen (N) deposition with or without added phosphorus (P) were investigated for three contrasting lichen species - the N-sensitive Alectoria sarmentosa, the more N-tolerant Platismatia glauca and the N(2) -fixing Lobaria pulmonaria- in a field experiment. • To examine whether nutrient limitation differed between the photobiont and the mycobiont within the lichen, the biomass responses of the respective bionts were estimated. • The lichenized algal cells were generally N-limited, because N-stimulated algal growth in all three species. The mycobiont was P-limited in one species (A. sarmentosa), but the growth response of the mycobionts was complex, as fungal growth is also dependent on a reliable carbon export from the photobiont, which may have been the reason for the decrease of the mycobiont with N addition in P. glauca. • Our findings showed that P availability was an important factor when studying effects of N deposition, as P supply can both mitigate and intensify the negative effects of N on epiphytic lichens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otilia Johansson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Johan Olofsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Reiner Giesler
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-981 07 Abisko, Sweden
| | - Kristin Palmqvist
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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