δ18O characteristics of lichens and their effects on evaporative processes of the subjacent soil
- Author:
- Hartard B., Máguas C. & Lakatos M.
- Year:
- 2008
- Journal:
- Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies
- Pages:
- 44(1): 111-128
- Url:
The study presents first data on the δ18O performance of poikilohydrous lichen ground cover, and its
potential impact on the isotopic composition of water fluxes arising from subjacent soil layers. As
a model organism, the globally distributed lichen Cladina arbuscula was studied under laboratory
conditions as well as in the field. During a desiccation experiment, δ18O of the lichen’s thallus water
and of its respired CO2 became enriched by ∼7‰ and followed a similar enrichment pattern to that
expected from homoiohydrous, vascular plants. However, the observed degree of enrichment was
lower in comparison to vascular plants due to (i) the lichen’s inherent lower evaporative resistances;
and (ii) a stronger effect of the more depleted surrounding water vapour.
In lichens growing in their natural habitat, this specific pattern may show substantial variations
depending on prevailing microclimatic conditions.Within a field study, thallus water δ18O of lichens
principally proved to become more depleted when close to equilibration with the surroundings. It
thereby strongly depended on the absorption of surrounding water vapour. Moreover, the results
indicate that lichen mats substantially reduce evaporation rates arising from subjacent soil layers, and
may alter the isotopic signal of vapour diffusing away from these layers into more depleted values.
Keywords: Craig–Gordon model; Evaporation; Lichens; Oxygen-18; Soil; Vapour; Water.
- Id:
- 16645
- Submitter:
- zdenek
- Post_time:
- Thursday, 17 June 2010 12:27