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Maximum quantum yield (mean values ? SE) of PSII photochemistry (F v /F m ) in thalli of the lichen D. diacapsis 16 months after translocation to gypsum spoils using adhesive treatments: G, white glue; W, water; HS, hydroseeding; GA, gum arabic; C, control; SR, synthetic resin. Thalli from the undisturbed habitat (Hab) were transferred to the same substrate before measurements as a reference. Different letters represent statistically significant differences between adhesives (p < 0.05).
Source publication
The loss of biological soil crusts represents a challenge for the restoration of disturbed environments, specifically in particular substrates hosting unique lichen communities. However, the recovery of lichen species affected by mining is rarely addressed in restoration projects. Here, we evaluate the translocation of Diploschistes diacapsis, a re...
Citations
... Finally, once again, we want to mention the ancient Latin phrase of Cicerone in De Senectute "Pares cum paribus facillime congregantur" (equals with equals very easily associate themselves) which well could be adapt to this work. In fact, the Lichen (symbiosis between fungus and algae) has the component (Hyphae) as well the Polyporales fungus [7,8]. ...
The transplantation of genus Cladonia terricolous lichens on Polyporales parasitic xylophagous fungi was attempted. Three species of Cladonia (C. pyxidata, C. rangiformis, C. foliacea) have been moved (translocated) from Livorno hill woods (Tuscany, Italy) to some public Livorno parks which suffer by an excessive anthropization. After a short period (a week) of adaptation to the new environment we transplanted thirteen specimens of Cladonia lichens on four different species of Polyporales fungi (Fomitopis betulina, Phellinus torulosus, Stereum hirsutum and Ganoderma applanatum) identified on the trees of the parks. The transplants obtained good engraftment and every periodic qualitative control showed a persistent photosynthetic activity even eight months after the start. Only one transplant (on Ganoderma applanatum) failed due by the toxicity of a secretion after incision. These observations lead us to consider those experiments as a demonstration of the compatibility of the implied tissues on transplantation and also allow us to introduce the difference of the term transplantation (the insert of an organism to another) from the often-confused translocation (relocation of an organism in different habitat). Future checks will indicate how and for how long this artificial association complex might persist.
... Cryptogams help in stabilizing soils (Arenas et al., 2017;Austrheim, 2002), promoting soil fertility and improving microbial activity (García-Carmona et al., 2020), and reducing impacts of climate warming on soil properties (García-Carmona et al., 2020). They constitute a biological crust, which are currently being used as a promising tool for rehabiliting soils, especially in drylands, by translocation or by inoculation from laboratory (García-Palacios et al., 2011;Ballesteros et al., 2017;Fig. 2. Violin plot for species richness and diversity indices (Shannon-Weaver and Simpson) of cryptogams in every elevation level of roadside (E1-E5) along the Loja-Zamora road. ...
Background
The deforestation caused by road construction is one of the main drivers for both biodiversity and function loss in tropical ecosystems. Terricolous cryptogams are pioneers in colonizing roadside and they are limited by environmental and edaphic factors, thus, cryptogams may act as pioneers for ecosystem rehabilitation at roadside.
Methods
This research was aimed at determining the diversity and composition of terricolous cryptogams, as well as their relationship with elevation and soil properties among roadside of the tropical Andes of Ecuador, in order to establish indicator species of this anthropized ecosystems. Five elevations were selected and in each one 50 grids of 20 cm × 30 cm were sampled (250 in total along the road), where occurrence, cover and identification of every cryptogam species were recorded. To evaluate the effect of elevation and soil properties on cryptogam richness, a linear model was conducted. Species composition among elevations was compared by non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), and their relationship with the environmental variables through a correlation with adjusted axes was performed. A total of 72 species were recorded, those being 44 bryophytes and 28 lichens. Species richness and composition of terricolous cryptogams were influenced by elevation and soil properties, thus the richness is higher at elevations E1, E2 and E3 (2600, 2200 and 1800 m a.s.l.), differing from low elevations E4 and E5 (1400 and 1000 m a.s.l.). Higher elevations with specific soil conditions (e.g bulk density, nitrogen and silt) harbored different cryptogam communities than those in lower elevations.
Conclusions
A combination of both elevation and soil properties are shaping the colonization by terricolous cryptogams commnunities. As such, 18 species were identified as the best indicators for all sets of environmental conditions at the roadside, which can therefore be considered for monitoring ecological processes in tropical areas. Use of biocrusts for restoration is an emerging field. If implemented in the study region, elevation and soil drivers may help to better chose the more suitable cryptogam species to manage and stabilize roadside in tropical roads.
... Therefore, active intervention may be required for faster re-establishment of a viable and dense biocrust cover. This was realized in studies that directly applied representative biocrust organisms to the soil surface, using cyanobacteria (Chen et al. 2006;Rossi et al. 2017;Fattahi et al. 2020;Zhao et al. 2021), bryophytes (Xiao et al. 2015;Bu et al. 2018;Cruz de Carvalho et al. 2018), or lichens (Ballesteros et al. 2017). Furthermore, the application of stabilizers (Park et al. 2017;Peng et al. 2017;Li et al. 2021) showed accelerated development of cyanobacterial biocrusts. ...
Biocrust communities provide a pallet of ecosystem services, such as soil stabilization, altering of hydrological cycles and primary production, and often are the first colonizers of unvegetated surfaces during succession. Therefore, artificially establishing biocrusts can improve soil properties, for example, by stabilizing bare soil surfaces against erosion or by accumulating nutrients. In this study, the establishment of artificial biocrusts was tested for the restoration of potash tailings piles that result from potash fertilizer production and mostly consist of NaCl. A biocrust cover as primary vegetation could decrease the saline seepage waters by trapping rainwaters, thereby reducing the environmental pollution. In a laboratory experiment, we created a salt gradient by mixing the tailings materials with non-saline dune sand. Surface material of the abandoned potash tailings pile Neuhof-Ellers (NE) and material of the Infiltration Hampering Stratum (IHS) were tested, along with a treatment with bone charplus (BCplus) and sodium alginate. A mixture of 50% (w/w) IHS and dune sand was most successful for the establishment of green biocrust microalgae, based on increased biomass and photosynthetic performance. The chlorophyll a content was negatively correlated with the electrical conductivity (EC), and was significantly increased in the BCplus and sodium alginate treatment, while biocrusts failed to establish on pure tailings piles substrates. The limit of the substrates EC for biocrust establishment was 35 mS cm⁻¹. This limit provides a baseline for future studies that should use BCplus and sodium alginate to increase the success of biocrust establishment on potash tailings piles.
... These lichen species are mainly basiphilous (frequently associated with alkaline substrates), and around 20% of them are exclusive gypsophytes; well-adapted and occurring exclusively on gypsum soils such as Acarospora placodiiformis, Diplotomma rivas-martinezii and Rhizocarpon malenconianum, or preferential gypsophytes; species with a great preference for gypsum soils, but also being found outside these substrates, such as in Acarospora nodulosa, Buellia zoharyi, Diploschistes diacapsis or Psora saviczii [11]. Biocrust lichens have a high conservation value due to their potential to form extended covers, and their contribution to the diversity of the ecosystems where they develop [12]. Different areas throughout the ...
Las costras biológicas de los suelos (biocostras, CBS) están constituidas por una combinación de organismos, tanto fotoautótrofos como heterótrofos, que viven dentro o sobre la superficie de los suelos, los cuales, con sus interacciones y actividades, generan una capa conjunta con las partículas del sustrato. Los líquenes, debido a la complejidad de sus simbiosis son capaces de colonizar estos hábitats adversos para otros vegetales, gracias a sus adaptaciones ecofisiológicas. Las biocostras dominadas por líquenes son muy abundantes en los claros de los matorrales y pastizales que se desarrollan en los territorios yesíferos. Su diversidad, participación en los ciclos biogeoquímicos y potencial
para formar grandes coberturas (a veces> 80%) sobre los suelos, es importante para la gestión y conservación de estos entornos tan frágiles y amenazados.
En la cuenca mediterránea hay amplias regiones cubiertas por distintos tipos de yesos que surgieron durante la crisis del Messiniense (5,96-5,33 m.a.). Estas áreas están colonizadas por comunidades de líquenes terrícolas, que se caracterizan principalmente por la abundancia de especies crustáceas, tales como Diploschistes diacapsis, Acarospora placodiiformis, A. nodulosa, Buellia zoharyi, Diplotomma rivas-martinezii y Rhizocarpon malenconianum, que conviven con líquenes escuamulosos de los taxones Psora decipiens, P. saviczii, Clavascidium spp. y Placidium spp., entre otros. Por otra parte, en aquellos enclaves que por sus características microambientales conservan un
mayor grado de humedad en el suelo, son frecuentes los líquenes foliáceos y dimórficos del género Cladonia.
En este estudio, se han analizado las relaciones entre cada tipo de micobionte y las microalgas simbióticas de los líquenes de estas comunidades. Para ello, se realizaron análisis moleculares de los micobiontes con objeto de conocer su diversidad, construir filogenias, redes de haplotipos y tratar de elaborar posibles reconstrucciones biogeográficas. En el caso de los ficobiontes, se estudiaron marcadores genéticos nucleares (nrITS y actina) y cloroplásticos (LSU rADN). Además, se realizó la caracterización ultraestructural de las células mediante microscopía de transmisión y se diseñó un protocolo de aislamiento y propagación in vitro.
En estas comunidades se han detectado tres géneros diferentes de microalgas: Trebouxia en Diploschistes diacapsis, Acarospora placodiiformis, A. nodulosa, Diplotomma rivas-martinezii y Rhizocarpon malenconianum, Asterochloris en Cladonia spp. y Myrmecia en los líquenes escuamulosos. La coexistencia de distintas microalgas en un mismo talo y el algal switching se ha hallado, por lo general, en líquenes en los que las microalgas del género Trebouxia eran predominantes.
El objetivo principal de esta tesis ha sido analizar los patrones de asociación entre microalgas y hongos en estas comunidades liquénicas y el estudio se ha abordado desde distintas aproximaciones metodológicas. La variabilidad genética de los distintos componentes simbióticos puede ser un dato clave para poder entender mejor las relaciones que se establecen entre ellos. Esta variabilidad nucleotídica de los micobiontes parece estar relacionada con su dependencia por las características del sustrato, ya que las especies gipsófitas exclusivas presentan una menor variabilidad genética en comparación a las que tienen mayor tolerancia por otros suelos. La baja variabilidad de las especies gipsófitas podría ser consecuencia de los eventos geológicos/climáticos acontecidos en la cuenca mediterránea en el pasado. Otros factores que también podrían explicar los patrones de asociación entre los distintos simbiontes de la biocostras son los biotipos liquénicos, los tipos de sustratos e incluso las estructuras reproductoras y formas de dispersión. Aunque, en este último caso, la complejidad encontrada en dichas estructuras no permite establecer un claro patrón de asociación (selectividad y especificidad).
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts, BSCs) are made up of a combination of organisms, both photoautotrophic and heterotrophic, which live inside or on the surface of soils. By means of their interactions and activities, they generate a joint layer along with the particles of the substrate. Lichens, due to the complexity of their symbiosis, are able to colonize these adverse for-otherplant habitats, thanks to their ecophysiological adaptations. Biocrusts dominated by lichens are highly abundant in the clearings of scrublands and grasslands that develop in gypsiferous outcrops. Their diversity, participation in biogeochemical cycles and potential to form large coverages (sometimes > 80%) on soils are important for the management and conservation of these fragile and threatened ecosystems.
In the Mediterranean basin, there are large regions covered by different types of gypsum that emerged during the Messiniense crisis (5.96-5.33 Mya). These areas are colonized by communities of terricolous lichens, which are mainly characterized by the abundance of crustose species, such as Diploschistes diacapsis, Acarospora placodiiformis, A. nodulosa, Buellia zoharyi, Diplotomma rivas-martinezii and Rhizocarpon malenconianum, which co-occur with squamulose taxa such as Psora decipiens, P. saviczii, Clavascidium spp. and Placidium spp., among others. In those places which, due to their microenvironmental characteristics, conserve a greater degree of humidity in the soil, foliose and dimorphic lichens of the genus Cladonia are common.
In this study, the relationships between each type of mycobiont and the symbiotic microalgae of the lichens of these communities have been analysed. For this purpose, molecular analyses of the mycobionts were carried out in order to discover their diversity, build phylogenies, haplotype networks and possible biogeographic reconstructions. In the case of phycobionts, nuclear (nrITS and actin) and chloroplast (LSU rADN) genetic markers were studied. In addition, the ultrastructural characterization of the cells was performed by transmission microscopy, and an in vitro isolation and propagation protocol was designed.
Three different genera of microalgae have been detected in these communities: Trebouxia in Diploschistes diacapsis, Acarospora placodiiformis, A. nodulosa, Diplotomma rivas-martinezii and Rhizocarpon malenconianum, Asterochloris in Cladonia spp., and Myrmecia in squamulose lichens. The coexistence of different microalgae in the same thallus, and “algal switching” processes, have been found, generally, in lichens in which microalgae of the genus Trebouxia were predominant.
The main objective of this doctoral thesis has been to analyze the association patterns between microalgae and fungi in these lichen communities and the study has been addressed from different methodological approaches. The genetic variability of the different symbiotic components may be a key data to better understand the relationships established between them. This nucleotide variability of mycobionts seems to be related to their dependence on the characteristics of the substrate, since exclusive gypsophyte species have less genetic variability compared to those with greater tolerance for other soils. The low variability of gypsophyte species could be a consequence of the geological/climatic events that occurred in the Mediterranean basin in the past. Other factors that could also explain the patterns of association between the different symbionts of the biocrusts are lichen biotypes, kind of substrates and even reproductive structures and dispersal strategies. However, in the latter case, the complexity found in these strategies does not allow a clear association pattern (selectivity and specificity) to be established.
... geomorphology and plant cover). Restoration of gypsicolous vegetation has been the focus of some previous studies, based on spontaneous succession (Mota et al. 2003(Mota et al. , 2004Dana & Mota 2006), germination and nurse plants (Escudero et al. 1997;De La Cruz et al. 2008;Cañadas et al. 2014Cañadas et al. , 2015Sánchez et al. 2014), sowing (Ballesteros et al. 2012(Ballesteros et al. , 2017a(Ballesteros et al. , 2017bBallesteros 2018), planting , and the use of restoration techniques such as hydroseeding, erosion-control blankets (ECBs hereafter) (Matesanz et al. 2006;Ballesteros et al. 2012Ballesteros et al. , 2017aBallesteros et al. , 2017b, and organic amendments (Castillejo & Castello 2010;Ballesteros et al. 2012Ballesteros et al. , 2017aBallesteros et al. , 2017bBallesteros 2018). However, biocrusts are normally ignored. ...
... geomorphology and plant cover). Restoration of gypsicolous vegetation has been the focus of some previous studies, based on spontaneous succession (Mota et al. 2003(Mota et al. , 2004Dana & Mota 2006), germination and nurse plants (Escudero et al. 1997;De La Cruz et al. 2008;Cañadas et al. 2014Cañadas et al. , 2015Sánchez et al. 2014), sowing (Ballesteros et al. 2012(Ballesteros et al. , 2017a(Ballesteros et al. , 2017bBallesteros 2018), planting , and the use of restoration techniques such as hydroseeding, erosion-control blankets (ECBs hereafter) (Matesanz et al. 2006;Ballesteros et al. 2012Ballesteros et al. , 2017aBallesteros et al. , 2017b, and organic amendments (Castillejo & Castello 2010;Ballesteros et al. 2012Ballesteros et al. , 2017aBallesteros et al. , 2017bBallesteros 2018). However, biocrusts are normally ignored. ...
... geomorphology and plant cover). Restoration of gypsicolous vegetation has been the focus of some previous studies, based on spontaneous succession (Mota et al. 2003(Mota et al. , 2004Dana & Mota 2006), germination and nurse plants (Escudero et al. 1997;De La Cruz et al. 2008;Cañadas et al. 2014Cañadas et al. , 2015Sánchez et al. 2014), sowing (Ballesteros et al. 2012(Ballesteros et al. , 2017a(Ballesteros et al. , 2017bBallesteros 2018), planting , and the use of restoration techniques such as hydroseeding, erosion-control blankets (ECBs hereafter) (Matesanz et al. 2006;Ballesteros et al. 2012Ballesteros et al. , 2017aBallesteros et al. , 2017b, and organic amendments (Castillejo & Castello 2010;Ballesteros et al. 2012Ballesteros et al. , 2017aBallesteros et al. , 2017bBallesteros 2018). However, biocrusts are normally ignored. ...
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are a key component of dryland ecosystems worldwide. However, large extensions of biocrusts are disturbed by human activities, gypsum quarry being an outstanding example. Restoration techniques applied have offered satisfactory results for vascular plants but they could greatly differ in promoting biocrust recovery. A basic question remains unaddressed: can measures for plant recovery accelerate or promote the recovery of biological crusts? We have examined 8 different situations: undisturbed natural habitat, five treatments with no restoration measures (overgrazed area, abandoned quarry, topsoil removal from natural habitat and two areas filled with gypsum mining spoil) and 2 areas received restoration measures (manual sowing and hydroseeding). We took 40 soil cores to determine cover of lichen, moss, and cyanobacteria. Biocrusts richness and cover were higher in the undisturbed habitat, with remarkable differences for the different components among treatments. Cyanobacteria were well represented in all the cores (restored and non‐restored). Mosses were promoted the most by hydroseeding. Lichen cover was remarkably higher in the undisturbed samples, very low in the quarry abandoned in 1992, and 0 in the rest. Complete spontaneous recovery of biocrusts was inefficient in the 25‐years period examined. Plant restoration measures could speed up its recovery comparing with non‐restored areas. Cyanobacteria and mosses can spontaneously recover fairly well. However, promoting them would accelerate the appearance of lichen. For lichen, inoculation or translocation of thalli might be proposed. Therefore, our results call for the inclusion of active restoration measures of biocrusts components in recovery plans, especially for lichens. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
... In contrast, many studies have highlighted the role of natural colonization in the establishment of vascular vegetation on road slopes (Bochet et al., 2007;Mola et al., 2011;Arenas et al., 2017a, b). In Mediterranean drylands, native vascular plants can establish and develop well in road slopes in the absence of human assistance when the slope is gentle (< 45 • ) (Bochet and García-Fayos, 2004) and sufficient propagule is available from the surroundings (Arenas et al., 2017b). However, species composition differs notably from communities found in the natural surrounding areas, mainly due to topography and modification of initial soil conditions derived from the process of road slope construction (Bochet and García-Fayos, 2004;Arenas et al., 2017a). ...
... Recently, the application of biocrust cyanobacteria inoculum (i.e., assisted recovery) has been identified as an effective method for biocrust restoration in road slopes, speeding up the recovery rate of biocrust cover and function to periods shorter than 2 years (Chiquoine et al., 2016). For biocrust lichens, thalli translocation with the use of adhesives such as glue or simply water addition has also been proposed as an effective measure to improve biocrust establishment and assure functional recovery in disturbed gypsum soils (Ballesteros et al., 2017). In this context, common and/or relatively abundant species in road slopes such as Enchylium spp. or Gyalolechia spp. ...
Understanding patterns of habitat natural recovery after
human-made disturbances is critical for the conservation of ecosystems under
high environmental stress, such as drylands. In particular, the unassisted
establishment of nonvascular plants such as biological soil crusts or
biocrust communities (e.g., soil lichens, mosses and cyanobacteria) in newly
formed habitats is not yet fully understood. However, the potential of
biocrusts to improve soil structure and function at the early stages of
succession and promote ecosystem recovery is enormous. In this study, we
evaluated the capacity of lichen biocrusts to spontaneously establish and
develop on road slopes in a Mediterranean shrubland. We also compared
taxonomic and functional diversity of biocrusts between road slopes and
natural habitats in the surroundings. Biocrust richness and cover, species
composition, and functional structure were measured in 17 road slopes (nine
roadcuts and eight embankments) along a 13 km highway stretch. Topography, soil
properties and vascular plant communities of road slopes were also
characterized. We used Kruskal–Wallis tests and applied redundancy analysis
(RDA) to test the effect of environmental scenario (road slopes vs. natural
habitat) and other local factors on biocrust features. We found that
biocrusts were common in road slopes after ∼20 years of
construction with no human assistance needed. However, species richness and
cover were still lower than in natural remnants. Also, functional structure
was quite similar between roadcuts (i.e., after soil excavation) and natural
remnants, and topography and soil properties influenced species composition
while environmental scenario type and vascular plant cover did not. These
findings further support the idea of biocrusts as promising restoration
tools in drylands and confirm the critical role of edaphic factors in
biocrust establishment and development in land-use change scenarios.
... These crusts are particularly notable in gypsum ecosystems which are normally dominated by lichens. They have a high conservation value due to their potential to form covers (sometimes >80%), their function, and their diversity (Ballesteros et al., 2017). ...
... Another feature of some terricolous lichen species is a capacity to move through dispersion of thallus fragments (Heinken, 1999), such as D. diacapsis, the most dynamic species detected in this study. This species can have different degrees of attachment in the soil, sometimes being able to detach easily (Ballesteros et al., 2017). Thus, the rapid losses of cover of this species detected in the warming treatment are probably a result of the detachment of fragments from the soil and their dispersion through wind to other places. ...
Despite the important role that biocrust communities play in maintaining ecosystem structure and functioning in drylands world-wide, few studies have evaluated how climate change will affect them. �
Using data from an 8-yr-old manipulative field experiment located in central Spain, we evaluated how warming, rainfall exclusion and their combination affected the dynamics of biocrust communities in areas that initially had low (<20%, LIBC plots) and high (>50%, HIBC plots) biocrust cover. �
Warming reduced the richness (35�6%), diversity (25�8%) and cover (82�5%) of biocrusts in HIBC plots. The presence and abundance of mosses increased with warming through time in these plots, although their growth rate was much lower than the rate of lichen death, resulting in a net loss of biocrust cover. On average, warming caused a decrease in the abundance (64�7%) and presence (38�24%) of species in the HIBC plots. Over time, lichens and mosses colonized the LIBC plots, but this process was hampered by warming in the case of lichens. �
The observed reductions in the cover and diversity of lichen-dominated biocrusts with warming will lessen the capacity of drylands such as that studied here to sequester atmospheric CO2 and to provide other key ecosystem services associated to these communities.
Las biocostras son comunidades de organismos autótrofos y heterótrofos que viven en la superficie del 12% de los suelos de la Tierra, donde actúan como ingenieras del ecosistema. Son muy sensibles al cambio climático y a las alteraciones ocasionadas por diferentes actividades antrópicas. En este trabajo, revisamos los impactos de ambos tipos de perturbaciones, que afectan negativamente a los ciclos biogeoquímicos, al balance de agua y al de energía, aceleran los procesos erosivos y la emisión de polvo y reducen la biodiversidad disminuyendo la capacidad de los ecosistemas para proveer servicios. Exploramos la capacidad de estas comunidades para recuperarse naturalmente, que, en general, requiere mucho tiempo el establecimiento de las comunidades de etapas sucesionales más tardías. Por ello, han surgido nuevas biotecnologías para acelerar su restauración, basadas en la inoculación de organismos formadores de biocostra. Se revisan los principales resultados de dos grupos de estrategias atendiendo al origen de los propágulos de biocostras: a) la translocación de fragmentos de biocostras de un área donante en favor de una degradada. Se recomienda para alteraciones planificadas en las que se use la biocostra existente antes de la alteración; b) cultivo a gran escala de organismos formadores de biocostra (cianobacterias, líquenes, musgos o la comunidad completa) en laboratorio o vivero para ser inoculados, posteriormente, en áreas degradadas. Finalmente, se identifican los retos futuros para maximizar el éxito de la restauración y conservación de las biocostras.
Is ex situ propagation of lichens possible? Pilot experiment to establish the ‘coloured soil lichen community’ on gypsum soils in restoration areas.
The ‘coloured soil lichen community’ (Fulgensietum fulgentis) is one of the most threatened communities in Bavaria. Due to extensive eutrophication of the landscape and the abandonment of traditional forms of management (nomadic sheep herding), their occurrence has dwindled to very small levels. From 2008 to 2019, the propagation and reintroduction of the most important species (including Fulgensia fulgens, Toninia sedifolia, Squamarina lentigera) was tested on gypsum outcrops in Central Franconia. Propagation in the field and distribution on extremely thin gypsum raw soil were mostly successful. However, propagation under glass and distribution on less thin soils failed.
