Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO<inf>2</i

Details of Research

TitleHabitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO<inf>2</inf> gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crustsAbstractBiological soil crusts (BSC) are the dominant functional vegetation unit in some of the harshest habitats in the world. We assessed BSC response to stress through changes in biotic composition, CO<inf>2</inf> gas exchange and carbon allocation in three lichen-dominated BSC from habitats with different stress levels, two more extreme sites in Antarctica and one moderate site in Germany. Maximal net photosynthesis (NP) was identical, whereas the water content to achieve maximal NP was substantially lower in the Antarctic sites, this apparently being achieved by changes in biomass allocation. Optimal NP temperatures reflected local climate. The Antarctic BSC allocated fixed carbon (tracked using 14 CO<inf>2</inf>) mostly to the alcohol soluble pool (low-molecular weight sugars, sugar alcohols), which has an important role in desiccation and freezing resistance and antioxidant protection. In contrast, BSC at the moderate site showed greater carbon allocation into the polysaccharide pool, indicating a tendency towards growth. The results indicate that the BSC of the more stressed Antarctic sites emphasise survival rather than growth. Changes in BSC are adaptive and at multiple levels and we identify benefits and risks attached to changing life traits, as well as describing the ecophysiological mechanisms that underlie them.AcknowledgementsWe are grateful to Antarctica New Zealand (AntNZ) for logistical support over several years as part of the Latitudinal Gradient Project coordinated by Shulamit Gordon. Logistics support was also provided by the Australian Antarctic Program, the Spanish National Antarctic Program and the US Coastguard Reserve. They are all gratefully thanked. The New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST), the University of Waikato Vice ChancellorÅ› Fund and the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato provided financial support. The research was supported by the FRST grant, `Understanding, valuing and protecting AntarcticaÅ› unique terrestrial ecosystems: predicting biocomplexity in Dry Valley ecosystems Ìand TGAG by the Spanish Education Ministry grants POL2006-08405 and CTM2009-12838-C04-01. BB and CC acknowledge the DFG Schwerpunktprogramm 1158 (BU 666/11-1). Part of the research were also funded by the ERA-Net BiodivERsA program, with the national funders German Research Foundation (DFG), Austrian Science Fund (FWF), The Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS), and the Spanish Ministerio de EconomÄ±Â´a y Competitividad (MINECO), part of the 2010-2011 BiodivERsA joint call. We thank Professor Neuhaus (TU Kl) for logistic support in the isotope laboratory

Details

1st AuthorColesie, C.AuthorColesie, C.Green, T.Haferkamp, I.Budel, B.Year2014JournalISME JournalVolume8Number10Pages2104-2115DOI10.1038/ismej.2014.47URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/recor.....13a9553e59b64fb2901c96a68Keywordsantioxidantbiomass allocationcarbon dioxideecophysiologyenvironmental stressgas exchangelichenlife history traitphotosynthesissoil crustwater content, AntarcticaGermany, carboncarbon dioxidegassoil, biomassclassificationclimateecosystemgaslichen (organism)metabolismmicrobiologyphotosynthesissoiltemperature, BiomassCarbonCarbon DioxideClimateEcosystemGasesLichensPhotosynthesisSoilSoil MicrobiologyTemperature, rank5Author KeywordsAntarcticacarbon allocationgas exchangelichenslife traitsnet photosynthesis

Other

TypeArticleCitationColesie, C., Green, T., Haferkamp, I. and Budel, B. (2014). Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO<inf>2</inf> gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts. ISME Journal, 8(10): 2104-2115 IdentifierColesie2014bRelevancerank5