Abstract
Biological soil crust (BSC) communities (composed of lichens, bryophytes, and cyanobacteria) may be more dynamic on short-time scales than previously thought, requiring new and informative short-term monitoring techniques. We used repeat digital photography and image analysis, which revealed a change in area of a dominant BSC lichen, Collema tenax. The data generated correlated well with gross photosynthesis (r=0.57) and carotenoid content (r=0.53), two variables that would be expected to be positively related to lichen area. We also extracted fatty acids from lichen samples and identified useful phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) indicators for the Collema mycobiont (20:1, 15:0, 23:0), and the Collema photobiont (18:3ω3). The 18:3ω3 correlated well with chlorophyll a (r=0.66), a more traditional proxy for cyanobacterial biomass. We also compared total PLFA as a proxy for total Collema biomass with our photographically generated areal change data, and found them to be moderately correlated (r=0.44). Areal change proved to be responsive on short-time scales, while fatty acid techniques were information-rich, providing data on biomass of lichens, and both photo- and mycobionts separately, in addition to the physiological status of the mycobiont. Both techniques should be refined and tested in field situations.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 869-878 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Journal of Arid Environments |
| Volume | 72 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 2008 |
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Keywords
- Biomarkers
- Cryptobiotic crusts
- Cryptogams
- Ecological indicators
- PLFA
- Rangeland health monitoring
- Repeat photography
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth-Surface Processes
- Ecology
Cite this
Short-term monitoring of aridland lichen cover and biomass using photography and fatty acids. / Bowker, Matthew A; Johnson, Nancy; Belnap, Jayne; Koch, George W.
In: Journal of Arid Environments, Vol. 72, No. 6, 06.2008, p. 869-878.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Short-term monitoring of aridland lichen cover and biomass using photography and fatty acids
AU - Bowker, Matthew A
AU - Johnson, Nancy
AU - Belnap, Jayne
AU - Koch, George W
PY - 2008/6
Y1 - 2008/6
N2 - Biological soil crust (BSC) communities (composed of lichens, bryophytes, and cyanobacteria) may be more dynamic on short-time scales than previously thought, requiring new and informative short-term monitoring techniques. We used repeat digital photography and image analysis, which revealed a change in area of a dominant BSC lichen, Collema tenax. The data generated correlated well with gross photosynthesis (r=0.57) and carotenoid content (r=0.53), two variables that would be expected to be positively related to lichen area. We also extracted fatty acids from lichen samples and identified useful phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) indicators for the Collema mycobiont (20:1, 15:0, 23:0), and the Collema photobiont (18:3ω3). The 18:3ω3 correlated well with chlorophyll a (r=0.66), a more traditional proxy for cyanobacterial biomass. We also compared total PLFA as a proxy for total Collema biomass with our photographically generated areal change data, and found them to be moderately correlated (r=0.44). Areal change proved to be responsive on short-time scales, while fatty acid techniques were information-rich, providing data on biomass of lichens, and both photo- and mycobionts separately, in addition to the physiological status of the mycobiont. Both techniques should be refined and tested in field situations.
AB - Biological soil crust (BSC) communities (composed of lichens, bryophytes, and cyanobacteria) may be more dynamic on short-time scales than previously thought, requiring new and informative short-term monitoring techniques. We used repeat digital photography and image analysis, which revealed a change in area of a dominant BSC lichen, Collema tenax. The data generated correlated well with gross photosynthesis (r=0.57) and carotenoid content (r=0.53), two variables that would be expected to be positively related to lichen area. We also extracted fatty acids from lichen samples and identified useful phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) indicators for the Collema mycobiont (20:1, 15:0, 23:0), and the Collema photobiont (18:3ω3). The 18:3ω3 correlated well with chlorophyll a (r=0.66), a more traditional proxy for cyanobacterial biomass. We also compared total PLFA as a proxy for total Collema biomass with our photographically generated areal change data, and found them to be moderately correlated (r=0.44). Areal change proved to be responsive on short-time scales, while fatty acid techniques were information-rich, providing data on biomass of lichens, and both photo- and mycobionts separately, in addition to the physiological status of the mycobiont. Both techniques should be refined and tested in field situations.
KW - Biomarkers
KW - Cryptobiotic crusts
KW - Cryptogams
KW - Ecological indicators
KW - PLFA
KW - Rangeland health monitoring
KW - Repeat photography
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=42049089294&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=42049089294&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2007.11.006
DO - 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2007.11.006
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:42049089294
VL - 72
SP - 869
EP - 878
JO - Journal of Arid Environments
JF - Journal of Arid Environments
SN - 0140-1963
IS - 6
ER -