Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO2 gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts
Abstract Biological 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, CO2 gas exchange and carbon allocation in three lichen-dominated BSC from habitats with different...
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croxfordunivpr:10.1038/ismej.2014.47 2024-09-15T17:45:48+00:00 Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO2 gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts Colesie, Claudia Allan Green, T G Haferkamp, Ilka Büdel, Burkhard 2014 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2014.47 http://www.nature.com/articles/ismej201447.pdf http://www.nature.com/articles/ismej201447 https://academic.oup.com/ismej/article-pdf/8/10/2104/56287332/41396_2014_article_bfismej201447.pdf en eng Oxford University Press (OUP) https://academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights The ISME Journal volume 8, issue 10, page 2104-2115 ISSN 1751-7362 1751-7370 journal-article 2014 croxfordunivpr https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2014.47 2024-08-12T04:26:06Z Abstract Biological 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, CO2 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 14CO2) 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Oxford University Press The ISME Journal 8 10 2104 2115 |
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Open Polar |
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Oxford University Press |
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croxfordunivpr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Biological 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, CO2 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 14CO2) 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. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Colesie, Claudia Allan Green, T G Haferkamp, Ilka Büdel, Burkhard |
spellingShingle |
Colesie, Claudia Allan Green, T G Haferkamp, Ilka Büdel, Burkhard Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO2 gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts |
author_facet |
Colesie, Claudia Allan Green, T G Haferkamp, Ilka Büdel, Burkhard |
author_sort |
Colesie, Claudia |
title |
Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO2 gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts |
title_short |
Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO2 gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts |
title_full |
Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO2 gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts |
title_fullStr |
Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO2 gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts |
title_full_unstemmed |
Habitat stress initiates changes in composition, CO2 gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts |
title_sort |
habitat stress initiates changes in composition, co2 gas exchange and c-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts |
publisher |
Oxford University Press (OUP) |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2014.47 http://www.nature.com/articles/ismej201447.pdf http://www.nature.com/articles/ismej201447 https://academic.oup.com/ismej/article-pdf/8/10/2104/56287332/41396_2014_article_bfismej201447.pdf |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
op_source |
The ISME Journal volume 8, issue 10, page 2104-2115 ISSN 1751-7362 1751-7370 |
op_rights |
https://academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2014.47 |
container_title |
The ISME Journal |
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8 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
2104 |
op_container_end_page |
2115 |
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1810493708153389056 |