Microclimatic Alteration after Logging Affects the Growth of the Endangered Lichen Lobaria pulmonaria.

Luca Di Nuzzo,Juri Nascimbene,Sonia Ravera,Giorgio Brunialti,Elisabetta Bianchi,Luisa Frati,Renato Benesperi,Zuzana Fačkovcová,Luca Paoli,Paolo Giordani,Chiara Vallese

doi:10.3390/plants11030295

Abstract

Microclimatic conditions are important in determining lichen distribution at small scale, and may determine whether the species persist when the surrounding environmental conditions have drastically changed. This is the case with forest management, since a sudden variation of microclimatic conditions (increase of solar radiation, temperature, wind and a reduction of humidity) may occur after logging. In this study, the combined effect of forest logging and microclimatic conditions on the growth probabilities and growth rates of the model species Lobaria pulmonaria was assessed in mixed oak stands. To this purpose, 800 fragments of L. pulmonaria (<1 cm) were transplanted in logged and unlogged stands for two years. Young and adult fragments were positioned on Turkey oak boles according to distance from the ground (100 and 50 cm) and aspect (north and south). The results, evaluated by generalized linear mixed models on a yearly basis, highlighted differences in growth—particularly on isolated trees in the logged stand. South-exposed samples in the logged stand showed a low probability of growth, while samples transplanted north in the unlogged stand showed higher growth probabilities. However, the highest annual growth coefficients corresponded to south-exposed samples 50 cm from the ground in the unlogged stand. In general, higher growth rates were observed in young thallus fragments when compared with adult ones. Beyond confirming the importance of microclimate for lichen ecology, these results could be implemented in conservation actions to preserve L. pulmonaria populations in logged forests.

Highlights

Microclimatic conditions are important in determining lichen distribution at small scale and can affect the persistence of a species when the surrounding environmental conditions have drastically changed [1]
Several studies have highlighted the negative impact of intensive forest logging on lichen communities, demonstrating a reduction of biodiversity and capacity to provide ecosystem services [4,5,6,7]
After two years of exposure, transplanted fragments presented a wide range of growth rates, with an average growth rate of 16%

Summary

Introduction

Microclimatic conditions are important in determining lichen distribution at small scale and can affect the persistence of a species when the surrounding environmental conditions have drastically changed [1]. Gradients in microclimatic parameters, determined by forest logging along forest edges and according to the aspect of isolated trees, can affect several ecosystem functions, including evapotranspiration, nutrient and water availability and cycling, N and CO2 diffusion and photosynthetic processes [7,8,9,10], with implications on the survival and growth of various target organisms In this regard, the important role of lichens in providing ecosystem services (habitat, shelter, food) and functions (nutrient and water cycling, metal chelation, microclimate regulation, primary colonization and soil formation) has been widely acknowledged [11]

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