Populations of Lobaria pulmonaria in Contrasting Climates appear Morphologically Similar but Physiologically Different

Giulia Canali ¹, Christopher Ellis ², Paolo Giordani ¹

University of Genoa ¹, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh ²

Lichens form complex symbiotic relationships between a mycobiont, a photobiont, and a pool of microorganisms, enabling them to colonise diverse habitats, including extreme environments. This ecological success reflects a broad evolutionary history and adaptation, alongside various morphological and physiological acclimation strategies. This study investigates the differential responses of two Lobaria pulmonaria populations to identical microclimates. A laboratory experiment simulating acute thermal stress conditions was conducted to assess the species' response. We aimed to observe diverse functional morphology and photosynthetic activity across populations from different macroclimates. Unexpectedly, our findings revealed no statistically significant differences in functional morphological traits. Statistically significant differences were observed for physiological parameters such as water loss rate, faster for thalli from Mediterranean climates and slower for thalli from Oceanic climates. Photosynthetic activity, even though it followed the same trend, was always higher for thalli from Scotland. These responses may reflect the local conditions to which the populations were subjected.

Main author career stage: PhD student

Contribution type: Talk

First choice session: 2. Ecology

Second choice session: 3. Biodiversity and global change