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POTASSIUM EFFLUX BY LICHEN THALLI FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO AQUEOUS SULPHUR DIOXIDE *
Author(s) -
PUCKETT K. J.,
TOMASSINI F. D.,
NIEBOERJ E.,
RICHARDSON D. H. S.
Publication year - 1977
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 - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1977.tb02189.x
Subject(s) - efflux , thallus , potassium , lichen , chemistry , kinetics , photosynthesis , biophysics , environmental chemistry , botany , biology , biochemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Summary Potassium efflux is a useful experimental quantity for assessing damage to lichens exposed to SO 2 . This SO 2 ‐induced K + efflux is biphasic in response to increasing concentrations of aqueous SO 2 . The first phase can be extrapolated to identify the SO 2 concentration at which no K + release occurred above the control values. This threshold concentration was used to determine the relative sensitivities of various lichen species. Good agreement was observed between the total K + lost and the reduction in the total photosynthetic 14 C‐fixation rates. The magnitude of the SO 2 ‐induced K + efflux indicated that release occurred from intra‐cellular sources. The kinetics of the release process and the effects of SO 2 on membrane integrity are discussed.