Novel climates reverse carbon uptake of atmospherically dependent epiphytes: Climatic constraints on the iconic boreal forest lichen Evernia mesomorpha

Smith, Robert J.; Nelson, Peter R.; Jovan, Sarah; Hanson, Paul J.; McCune, Bruce

doi:10.1002/ajb2.1022

Title: Novel climates reverse carbon uptake of atmospherically dependent epiphytes: Climatic constraints on the iconic boreal forest lichen Evernia mesomorpha

Journal Article · Mon Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2018 · American Journal of Botany

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.1022· OSTI ID:1424459

^[1]; Nelson, Peter R. ^[2]; Jovan, Sarah ^[3]; Hanson, Paul J. ^[4]; McCune, Bruce ^[1]

Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)
Univ. of Maine, Fort Kent, ME (United States)
USDA Forest Service, Portland, OR (United States). Pacific Northwest Research Station
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Premise of the Study Changing climates are expected to affect the abundance and distribution of global vegetation, especially plants and lichens with an epiphytic lifestyle and direct exposure to atmospheric variation. The study of epiphytes could improve understanding of biological responses to climatic changes, but only if the conditions that elicit physiological performance changes are clearly defined. Methods We evaluated individual growth performance of the epiphytic lichen Evernia mesomorpha , an iconic boreal forest indicator species, in the first year of a decade‐long experiment featuring whole‐ecosystem warming and drying. Field experimental enclosures were located near the southern edge of the species’ range. Key Results Mean annual biomass growth of Evernia significantly declined 6 percentage points for every +1°C of experimental warming after accounting for interactions with atmospheric drying. Mean annual biomass growth was 14% in ambient treatments, 2% in unheated control treatments, and −9% to −19% (decreases) in energy‐added treatments ranging from +2.25 to +9.00°C above ambient temperatures. Warming‐induced biomass losses among persistent individuals were suggestive evidence of an extinction debt that could precede further local mortality events. Conclusions Changing patterns of warming and drying would decrease or reverse Evernia growth at its southern range margins, with potential consequences for the maintenance of local and regional populations. Negative carbon balances among persisting individuals could physiologically commit these epiphytes to local extinction. Our findings illuminate the processes underlying local extinctions of epiphytes and suggest broader consequences for range shrinkage if dispersal and recruitment rates cannot keep pace.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1424459

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1422658

Journal Information:: American Journal of Botany, Vol. 105, Issue 2; ISSN 0002-9122

Publisher:: Wiley - Botanical Society of AmericaCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 12 works

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Title: Novel climates reverse carbon uptake of atmospherically dependent epiphytes: Climatic constraints on the iconic boreal forest lichen Evernia mesomorpha

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