Resistance of the caribou lichen Cladina stellaris (Opiz.) brodo to growth reduction by simulated acidic rain

Abstract

Natural mats of C. stellaris growing in the subarctic lichen woodlands of northern Quebec were treated in a randomized complete block design with solutions of simulated rain at pH 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 and 5.6. These solutions were acidified by addition of mixtures of sulfuric and nitric acids to give both 2 : 1 and 6 : 1 μequivalent ratios of SO inf4 sup= : NO inf3 sup− . After two years of acidification there was no significant effect of either pH or SO inf4 sup= : NO inf3 sup− ratio on the growth of C. stellaris, but thallus discoloration was evident below pH 3.5. After three years of acidification marginally significant (p = 0.05) but erratic depression of growth occurred under the 6 : 1 but not the 2 : 1 acidification regime, especially at pH 4.5 or less. Acid precipitation therefore only very gradually impairs the growth of C. stellaris, and the deleterious effects of acidification may be partially offset by nitrogen enrichment when precipitation is relatively rich in nitrate compared to sulfate ions.