Trait‐based response of lichens to large‐scale patterns of climate and forest availability in Norway

Abstract

Aim: Functional traits offer a window into how organisms are adapted, and might acclimate, to environmental pressures. Despite being important in ecosystem function, lichens are underrepresented in trait-based research; understanding how lichen functional traits vary with climate and habitat availability will be useful in predicting how communities will respond to climate change, for example, in wetter and warmer boreal and arctic ecosystems. Here, we assess the influence of macroclimate and forest availability on the spatial distribution of lichen traits across Norway.Location: Norwegian mainland.Taxon: Lichens. Methods:We used relative trait frequency (RTF) data from LIAS gtm, a database combining trait information from LIAS (A Global Information System for Lichenized and Non-Lichenized Ascomycetes) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) species observations. The 20 traits included photobiont types, growth forms, cortical features and reproductive modes. Nonparametric multiplicative regression (NPMR) models were used to explore the relationships between the environmental predictors of precipitation, temperature and forest availability.Results: All traits showed significant relationships with the three environmental predictors. Photobiont type and reproductive mode traits produced the strongest models and revealed ecologically meaningful biogeographical patterns. Trebouxioid species peaked in colder, drier upland regions, while trentepohlioid lichens displayed an affinity for wetter and warmer climates and had a western and southern distribution. Cyanolichens increased with increasing precipitation and were strongly coastal. Sorediate and isidiate lichens were positively related to temperature, the former also increasing with forest cover. The above responses were consistent with the physiological and habitat requirements of the associated lichens. The remaining traits had weaker responses.Main conclusions: Discrete traits (i.e. photobiont type and reproductive mode) with relatively low ecological plasticity reflect clear functional environmental responses at the large scale. By contrast, growth form and thallus structural features-proxies for continuous variables-are too variable within each given category to show observable distribution patterns.

Pesquisa de cianoliquens: uma análise bibliométrica de 1991 a 2022

“…Meanwhile, the sorediate and isidiate species were positively related to the temperature. In general, the cyanolichens increased their diversity with the increase in precipitation, reaching its peak in coastal areas (Phinney et al, 2022).…”

“…The research of the lichen's functional trait variations, for example the type of photobiont, growth forms and reproduction strategies, are a cost-effective alternative to assess the response of communities to ecological gradients, land use, forest disturbance, fragmentation and urbanization; once those traits are related with biotic and abiotic factors such as water availability, temperature, light intensity and many others. Recent studies regarding the cyanolichens functional ecology found response patterns to different environmental conditions (Benítez et al, 2018;Golovko et al, 2020;Jönsson et al, 2017;Koch et al, 2019;Nimis et al, 2020;Phinney et al, 2022). For instance, along a gradient of aridity and light intensity in Italy, cyanolichens were morphologically "simpler" (crustose growth-form and sexually reproducing) in dry habitats on calcareous rocks, and were gradually replaced to "more complex" species (often asexual such as foliose sorediate) until humid and shaded habitats on tree bark (Nimis et al, 2020).…”