Abstract
During a period of c. 5 years growth rates of 13 thalli of Caloplaca aurantia (P ers .) H ellb . var. aurantia P oelt were measured in the highland of the Central Negev Desert near Avdat. An average annual radial rate of marginal growth of 0.68 mm was determined by direct measurements and of 0.56 mm by calculation from increment of thallus surface area. This growth equals medium growth rates of crustose epipetric lichens from other climatic regions and shows the good adaptation of the metabolism of Caloplaca to the specific conditions of the desert habitat. Annual productivity of Caloplaca amounted to c.10.4% of a young thallus. This value obtained by direct growth measurements confirms former calculations of annual lichen productivity in the Negev which were made from CO 2 gas exchange measurements in the field.
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