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LICHEN WATER RELATIONS UNDER DRYING CONDITIONS
Author(s) -
LARSON D. W.
Publication year - 1979
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.1469-8137.1979.tb01666.x
Subject(s) - lichen , evaporation , ecology , temperate climate , environmental science , range (aeronautics) , arctic , resistance (ecology) , radiant energy , atmospheric sciences , biology , botany , radiation , meteorology , geography , materials science , physics , quantum mechanics , geology , composite material
S ummary The loss of water by evaporation in various species of lichens has been examined under a range of controlled windspeed/radiation regimes. Temperate and arctic species both show a type of morphological control of evaporation. Such control varies, however, with the nature of the surrounding environment. Evaporation from those species which show a very low resistance to evaporative water loss such as Bryoria nitidula, Umbilicaria deusta and U. veiled appears to be relatively insensitive to increases in radiant flux. Conversely those species, or specific growth forms, which show a high resistance to evaporative water loss, such as Cladina stellaris and U. muhlenbergii , appear to be sensitive to increases in supply of radiant energy. These results suggest that the morphological control of evaporation in lichens is significant to the ecology of this group of plants.