Colonization by Lichens and the Development of Lichen-Dominated Communities in the Maritime Antarctic
Abstract Three long-term studies of lichen growth and colonization have been undertaken at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, in the maritime Antarctic. Small individual thalli of several crustose species and uncolonized plots on 12 fresh rock surfaces were photographically monitored at intervals o...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1995
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0024-2829(95)80007-7 http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0024282995800077?httpAccept=text/xml http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0024282995800077?httpAccept=text/plain https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0024282995000600 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1016/s0024-2829(95)80007-7 2024-09-15T17:45:05+00:00 Colonization by Lichens and the Development of Lichen-Dominated Communities in the Maritime Antarctic Lewis Smith, R.I. 1995 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0024-2829(95)80007-7 http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0024282995800077?httpAccept=text/xml http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0024282995800077?httpAccept=text/plain https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0024282995000600 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms The Lichenologist volume 27, issue 6, page 473-483 ISSN 0024-2829 1096-1135 journal-article 1995 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1016/s0024-2829(95)80007-7 2024-08-07T04:04:38Z Abstract Three long-term studies of lichen growth and colonization have been undertaken at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, in the maritime Antarctic. Small individual thalli of several crustose species and uncolonized plots on 12 fresh rock surfaces were photographically monitored at intervals of 3–4 years over a period of up to 20 years. The development of Ochrolechia frigida colonies on a regenerating moss bank, recently uncovered by a receding glacier, was similarly monitored. The results indicate that many lichens growing in sites enriched by nitrogenous compounds derived from populations of sea birds, have relatively rapid colonization and growth rates. Mean percentage increase in thallus area can be as high as 15–32% per annum in some nitrophilous saxicolous species (e.g. Acarospora macrocyclos, Xanthoria elegans and species of Buellia and Caloplaca ), but as low as, 0·4–4% in nitrophobous species ( Lecanora physciella, Lecidea sp., Rhizocarpon geographicum ). Umbilicaria antarctica and Usnea Antarctica also yielded data indicating high growth rates, with colonist plants reaching several centimetres after 20 years. Colonization by mixed assemblages of lichens of new rock surfaces can attain 40->90% cover after 20 years in nutrient-enriched sites, and even 20–25% in non-biotically influenced sites. Colonization by or increase in extant O. frigida on the regenerating moribund moss bank was also quite rapid. It is suggested that the exceptionally large thalli of several lichen species and the locally extensive dense lichen fellfield communities in the maritime Antarctic may be much younger than previously supposed. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Signy Island South Orkney Islands Usnea antarctica New Rock Cambridge University Press The Lichenologist 27 6 473 483 |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Three long-term studies of lichen growth and colonization have been undertaken at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, in the maritime Antarctic. Small individual thalli of several crustose species and uncolonized plots on 12 fresh rock surfaces were photographically monitored at intervals of 3–4 years over a period of up to 20 years. The development of Ochrolechia frigida colonies on a regenerating moss bank, recently uncovered by a receding glacier, was similarly monitored. The results indicate that many lichens growing in sites enriched by nitrogenous compounds derived from populations of sea birds, have relatively rapid colonization and growth rates. Mean percentage increase in thallus area can be as high as 15–32% per annum in some nitrophilous saxicolous species (e.g. Acarospora macrocyclos, Xanthoria elegans and species of Buellia and Caloplaca ), but as low as, 0·4–4% in nitrophobous species ( Lecanora physciella, Lecidea sp., Rhizocarpon geographicum ). Umbilicaria antarctica and Usnea Antarctica also yielded data indicating high growth rates, with colonist plants reaching several centimetres after 20 years. Colonization by mixed assemblages of lichens of new rock surfaces can attain 40->90% cover after 20 years in nutrient-enriched sites, and even 20–25% in non-biotically influenced sites. Colonization by or increase in extant O. frigida on the regenerating moribund moss bank was also quite rapid. It is suggested that the exceptionally large thalli of several lichen species and the locally extensive dense lichen fellfield communities in the maritime Antarctic may be much younger than previously supposed. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lewis Smith, R.I. |
spellingShingle |
Lewis Smith, R.I. Colonization by Lichens and the Development of Lichen-Dominated Communities in the Maritime Antarctic |
author_facet |
Lewis Smith, R.I. |
author_sort |
Lewis Smith, R.I. |
title |
Colonization by Lichens and the Development of Lichen-Dominated Communities in the Maritime Antarctic |
title_short |
Colonization by Lichens and the Development of Lichen-Dominated Communities in the Maritime Antarctic |
title_full |
Colonization by Lichens and the Development of Lichen-Dominated Communities in the Maritime Antarctic |
title_fullStr |
Colonization by Lichens and the Development of Lichen-Dominated Communities in the Maritime Antarctic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Colonization by Lichens and the Development of Lichen-Dominated Communities in the Maritime Antarctic |
title_sort |
colonization by lichens and the development of lichen-dominated communities in the maritime antarctic |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1995 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0024-2829(95)80007-7 http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0024282995800077?httpAccept=text/xml http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0024282995800077?httpAccept=text/plain https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0024282995000600 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Signy Island South Orkney Islands Usnea antarctica New Rock |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Signy Island South Orkney Islands Usnea antarctica New Rock |
op_source |
The Lichenologist volume 27, issue 6, page 473-483 ISSN 0024-2829 1096-1135 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0024-2829(95)80007-7 |
container_title |
The Lichenologist |
container_volume |
27 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
473 |
op_container_end_page |
483 |
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1810492805462622208 |