Algal stacks and fungal stacks as adaptations to high light in lichens

0395745 - BÚ 2014 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Vondrák, Jan - Kubásek, Jiří
Algal stacks and fungal stacks as adaptations to high light in lichens.
Lichenologist. Roč. 45, č. 1 (2013), s. 115-124. ISSN 0024-2829. E-ISSN 1096-1135
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0073; GA MŠMT(CZ) LM2010007
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516
Institutional support: RVO:67985939 ; RVO:67179843
Keywords : CO2 assimilation * evlution * dark respiration
Subject RIV: EF - Botanics; EH - Ecology, Behaviour (UEK-B)
Impact factor: 1.613, year: 2013

Some lichens that occur in mountains and arid regions have developed an unusual anatomy resembling window-leaved plants. In these lichens, algal cells occur in thick vertical stacks (algal stacks) separated by vertical channels of light-transferring fungal hyphae (fungal stacks). We present experimental evidence that this anatomy permits higher rates of area-based CO2 assimilation in strong light, but that it also leads to higher respiration resulting in higher compensation irradiance. The net effect of this anatomy must be beneficial in regions of high insolation, as it has arisen many times in different parts of the world, and in unrelated lichens, and these lichens often dominate the communities in which they occur.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0223712