Ecological trends in lichen photosynthesis

Drawing on data for 42 fruticose and foliose lichen species, four aspects of photosynthetic response have been ex&mined in relation to latitude and climatic variables: 1) the maximal rate of net photosynthesis (P_max), 2) the tissue temperature at which P_max occurs (T_opt), 3) the photon flux density at which P_max occurs (PhAR_sat), and 4) the tissue water status at which P_max occurs. Tissue water status was measured as either relative water content (RWC_opt) or percentage dry weight (DW_opt). The T_opt decreased significantly with increasing latitude; T_opt also increased significantly with increasing July solar radiation, July air temperature, daily hours of bright sunshine, daily solar radiation, annual precipitation, and annual evaporation. Both RWC_opt and DW_opt increased significantly with annual precipitation. The T_opt and RWC_opt for a lichen could both be more accurately predicted from multiple regressions on macroclimatic variables describing the lichen's habitat. Both the PhAR_sat and the P_max, despite their lack of simple univariate relationships to either latitude or climatic variables, could also be predicted by multiple regression. The limitations on the generality and precision of these ecological trends in lichen photosynthesis are discussed in relation to microclimatic considerations, morphological adaptations, and poikilohydric metabolism.