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Reproductive strategies, relichenization and thallus development observed in situ in leaf‐dwelling lichen communities
Author(s) -
Sanders William B.,
Lücking Robert
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-8137.2002.00472.x
Subject(s) - thallus , lichen , biology , botany , propagule , spore , hypha , germination , algae , spore germination , seta , moss , genus
Summary• Suppositions about lichen reproductive strategies were investigated and elusive early stages of lichen ontogeny documented in a foliicolous lichen community. • Plastic coverslips attached to supportive netting were placed among foliicolous lichen communities within a neotropical lowland forest. The germination and development of diverse lichen propagules colonizing the coverslips were studied with light microscopy. • Foliicolous lichens were observed to begin development from lichenized vegetative propagules, aposymbiotic fungal spores, fungal spores dispersed together with attached phycobionts, and diahyphae. Aposymbiotically dispersed spores and diahyphae were capable of associating with compatible phycobionts encountered upon the substratum, following germination. • Many developing thalli produced characteristic structures (discoid isidia, thalline setae, pycnidia, etc.) which permitted their recognition as typical members of the foliicolous lichen community. Thalline setae in Trichariawere produced upon the prothallus, and subsequently incorporated into the thallus proper by advance of the lichenized thallus margin.Trichariaand other members of the Gomphillaceae showed a distinctive organization of symbionts in thallus growth, whereby the unicellular green phycobiont cells were positioned at the tips of advancing fascicles of mycobiont hyphae. InCoenogoniumsp., branching filaments of the phycobiontTrentepohlia grew along prothallic paths initiated by the mycobiont.