Studies on lichen-dominated systems. XVI. Comparative patterns of net CO2 exchange in Cetraria nivalis and Alectoria ochroleuca collected from a raised-beach ridge

Abstract

Seasonal patterns of net photosynthesis in Cetraria nivalis that was collected from the top and bottom positions of a raised-beach ridge were examined in relation to those for Alectoria ochroleuca from the same site. While seasonal acclimation is pronounced in C. nivalis to an extent equal to that found in A. ochroleuca, C. nivalis showed significant intraspecific difference in these patterns. Cetraria nivalis that was collected from the bottom position of the beach ridge is more active metabolically than the ridge-top collections. Cetraria nivalis is most abundant on the lower slopes of these ridges. A comparison of the physiological data matrices for both ridge-top and ridge-bottom collections of A. ochroleuca and C. nivalis partly explains the patterns of species distribution that are observed in the field.