Dataset Information

The Jurassic epiphytic macrolichen Daohugouthallus reveals the oldest lichen-plant interaction in a Mesozoic forest ecosystem.

ABSTRACT: Lichens are well known as pioneer organisms or stress-tolerant extremophiles, potentially playing a core role in the early formation of terrestrial ecosystems. Epiphytic macrolichens are known to contribute to the water- and nutrient cycles in forest ecosystem. But due to the scarcity of fossil record, the evolutionary history of epiphytic macrolichens is poorly documented. Based on new fossil of Jurassic Daohugouthallus ciliiferus, we demonstrate the hitherto oldest known macrolichen inhabited a gymnosperm branch. We applied energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and geometric morphometric analysis to complementarily verify lichen affinity of D. ciliiferus and quantitatively assess the potential relationships with extant lichenized lineages, providing new approaches for study of this lichen adpression fossil. Considering the results, and the inferred age of D. ciliiferus, a new family, Daohugouthallaceae, is established. This work updates current knowledge to the early evolution of epiphytic macrolichens and reveals more complex lichen-plant interactions in a Jurassic forest ecosystem.

SUBMITTER: Yang Q

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9800524 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The Jurassic epiphytic macrolichen <i>Daohugouthallus</i> reveals the oldest lichen-plant interaction in a Mesozoic forest ecosystem.

Yang Qiuxia Q Wang Yanyan Y Lücking Robert R Lumbsch H Thorsten HT Du Zhenyong Z Chen Yunkang Y Bai Ming M Ren Dong D Wei Jiangchun J Li Hu H Wang Yongjie Y Wei Xinli X

iScience 20221208 1

Lichens are well known as pioneer organisms or stress-tolerant extremophiles, potentially playing a core role in the early formation of terrestrial ecosystems. Epiphytic macrolichens are known to contribute to the water- and nutrient cycles in forest ecosystem. But due to the scarcity of fossil record, the evolutionary history of epiphytic macrolichens is poorly documented. Based on new fossil of Jurassic <i>Daohugouthallus ciliiferus</i>, we demonstrate the hitherto oldest known macrolichen inh ...[more]

PMID: 36590161

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Project description:1.: One approach to biodiversity conservation is to set aside small woodland key habitats (WKHs) in intensively managed landscapes. The aim is to support species, such as epiphytes, which often depend on old trees and are negatively affected by intensive forestry. However, it is not known whether the number of host trees within these areas can sustain species in the long term. 2.: We studied metapopulation dynamics and assessed the future persistence of epiphytes assuming host tree numbers similar to those observed in large north European WKHs. The study species were seven cyanolichens confined to Populus tremula in the boreal study area. Colonizations and extinctions were recorded in 2008 on trees that had been surveyed 13 years earlier. We applied generalized (non)linear models to test the importance of environmental conditions, facilitation and spatial connectivity on the metapopulation dynamics. We also simulated the effects of tree numbers and tree fall rates on future species persistence. 3.: Metapopulation dynamics were explained by tree quality, size or tree fall. In one species, colonizations increased with increasing connectivity, and in a second species it increased if other lichens sharing the photobiont with the focal species were present, suggesting facilitation. Both stochastic extinctions from standing trees and deterministic extinctions caused by tree fall should be accounted for in projecting epiphyte metapopulation dynamics. 4.: One to three infrequent, sexually dispersed study species face a significant extinction risk within 50 years, especially in areas with low tree numbers. 5.: Synthesis and applications. During the coming decades, infrequent, sexually dispersed, epiphytic lichens are likely to be lost from small woodland habitat set asides in intensively managed landscapes. Local extinction will be a consequence of low colonization rates and tree fall. Low colonization rates can be prevented by retaining large trees on which lichen species colonization rates are the highest and by assuring a high density of occupied trees. The negative effect of tree fall should be compensated for by assuring continuous availability of old trees. This can be achieved by decreasing the populations of large browsers, or by retaining trees with high conservation value during management operations.

Project description:Quantifying abundance and distribution of plant species can be difficult because data are often inflated with zero values due to rarity or absence from many ecosystems. Terrestrial fruticose lichens (Cladonia and Cetraria spp.) occupy a narrow ecological niche and have been linked to the diets of declining caribou and reindeer populations (Rangifer tarandus) across their global distribution, and conditions related to their abundance and distribution are not well understood. We attempted to measure effects related to the occupancy and abundance of terrestrial fruticose lichens by sampling and simultaneously modeling two discrete conditions: absence and abundance. We sampled the proportion cover of terrestrial lichens at 438 vegetation plots, including 98 plots having zero lichens. A zero-inflated beta regression model was employed to simultaneously estimate both the absence and the proportion cover of terrestrial fruticose lichens using fine resolution satellite imagery and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) derived covariates. The probability of lichen absence significantly increased with shallower groundwater, taller vegetation, and increased Sphagnum moss cover. Vegetation productivity, Sphagnum moss cover, and seasonal changes in photosynthetic capacity were negatively related to the abundances of terrestrial lichens. Inflated beta regression reliably estimated the abundance of terrestrial lichens (R2 = .74) which was interpolated on a map at fine resolution across a caribou range to support ecological conservation and reclamation. Results demonstrate that sampling for and simultaneously estimating both occupancy and abundance offer a powerful approach to improve statistical estimation and expand ecological inference in an applied setting. Learnings are broadly applicable to studying species that are rare, occupy narrow niches, or where the response variable is a proportion value containing zero or one, which is typical of vegetation cover data.

Project description:BackgroundSubtropical forest plant diversity, characterized by a wide range of species adapted to seasonal variations, is vital for sustaining ecological balance, supporting diverse wildlife, and providing critical ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and soil stabilization. The Changa Manga Forest, an ecologically rich area with varied vegetation, was analyzed to understand the intricate relationship between plant diversity and environmental factors. This study investigates the diversity patterns, vegetation structure, and environmental influences on forest biodiversity.MethodsA comprehensive survey was conducted across 127 stands within the Changa Manga Forest to document plant species and classify vegetation communities. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for key physicochemical parameters, while multivariate statistical methods, including hierarchical clustering and ordination, were applied to examine the relationships between vegetation structure and environmental factors. Diversity indices and beta diversity components were calculated to assess variations across plant communities.ResultsThe species were classified into six distinct vegetation communities: Neltuma-Ziziphus-Malvestrum (NZM), Broussonetia-Lantana-Morus (BLM), Dalbergia-Lantana-Solanum (DLS), Morus-Abutilon-Ricinus (MAR), Eucalyptus-Vachellia-Sorghum (EVS), and Bombax-Leucaena-Croton (BLC). Analyses using hierarchical clustering and ordination methods revealed significant differences in species composition among these communities, with NZM and DLS exhibiting the highest dissimilarity. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) indicated that environmental factors such as soil pH, available phosphorus (AP), and organic matter percentage (OM%) are crucial in shaping plant distribution, though the total explained variation remained relatively low. Diversity indices varied significantly among communities, with the NZM community showing the highest Shannon and Simpson diversity, while EVS exhibited the lowest. The beta diversity analysis revealed a high species turnover between certain communities, indicating complex ecological interactions. Our results indicate significant variability in plant community composition and diversity patterns, influenced by edaphic factors and environmental gradients. We anticipate that future environmental changes, such as shifts in soil properties, precipitation patterns, and increased human activity, may exacerbate declines in local plant species richness and disrupt community structures. To preserve the invaluable biodiversity of the study area for future generations, it is essential to implement timely and effective conservation and management strategies.

Dataset Information

The Jurassic epiphytic macrolichen Daohugouthallus reveals the oldest lichen-plant interaction in a Mesozoic forest ecosystem.

Publications

The Jurassic epiphytic macrolichen <i>Daohugouthallus</i> reveals the oldest lichen-plant interaction in a Mesozoic forest ecosystem.

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