Climate warming causes photobiont degradation and carbon starvation in a boreal climate sentinel lichen

Meyer, Abigail R.; Valentin, Maria; Liulevicius, Laima; McDonald, Tami R.; Nelsen, Matthew P.; Pengra, Jean; Smith, Robert J.; Stanton, Daniel

doi:10.1002/ajb2.16114

Climate warming causes photobiont degradation and carbon starvation in a boreal climate sentinel lichen

Journal Article · Fri Dec 02 23:00:00 EST 2022 · American Journal of Botany

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16114· OSTI ID:2425613

^[1]; Valentin, Maria ^[1]; Liulevicius, Laima ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[3]; Pengra, Jean ^[4]; ^[5]; ^[1]

University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN (United States)
Saint Catherine University, Saint Paul, MN (United States)
Negaunee Integrative Research Center and Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Chicago, IL (United States)
Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN (United States)
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Washington, DC (United States)

The long-term potential for acclimation by lichens to changing climates is poorly known, despite their prominent roles in forested ecosystems. Although often considered “extremophiles,” lichens may not readily acclimate to novel climates well beyond historical norms. In a previous study, Evernia mesomorpha transplants in a whole-ecosystem climate change experiment showed drastic mass loss after 1 yr of warming and drying; however, the causes of this mass loss were not addressed. We examined the causes of this warming-induced mass loss by measuring physiological, functional, and reproductive attributes of lichen transplants. Severe loss of mass and physiological function occurred above +2°C of experimental warming. Loss of algal symbionts (“bleaching”) and turnover in algal community compositions increased with temperature and were the clearest impacts of experimental warming. Enhanced CO₂ had no significant physiological or symbiont composition effects. The functional loss of algal photobionts led to significant loss of mass and specific thallus mass (STM), which in turn reduced water-holding capacity (WHC). Although algal genotypes remained detectable in thalli exposed to higher stress, within-thallus photobiont communities shifted in composition toward greater diversity. The strong negative impacts of warming and/or lower humidity on Evernia mesomorpha were driven by a loss of photobiont activity. Analogous to the effects of climate change on corals, the balance of symbiont carbon metabolism in lichens is central to their resilience to changing conditions.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0014664

OSTI ID:: 2425613

Journal Information:: American Journal of Botany, Journal Name: American Journal of Botany Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 110; ISSN 0002-9122

Publisher:: Wiley - Botanical Society of AmericaCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Climate warming causes photobiont degradation and carbon starvation in a boreal climate sentinel lichen

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