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Adaptation of Lichens to Extreme Conditions

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Plant Adaptation Strategies in Changing Environment

Abstract

Lichens exhibit the classic features of stress-tolerant organisms, viz. slow growth rates, considerable longevity, low demand for nutrients, and the presence of specific adaptations to survive in the most inhospitable environments on Earth. The ability of lichens to tolerate the extremes posed by deserts, polar regions, and chemically rich environments involves both morphological and physiological adaptation and changes in ecological behaviour so that species adapt to relatively protected niches within an extreme environment. This chapter discusses those aspects of the lichen symbiosis relevant to survival in extreme conditions and then describes the adaptation of lichens to (1) wet forests, (2) deserts, (3) the Arctic, (4) alpine regions, (5) Antarctica, (6) chemically rich environments, and (7) extraterrestrial environments such as outer space and Mars. It is evident that the lichen symbiosis is more tolerant to hostile conditions than its symbionts, morphological and physiological adaptations are intimately associated, and convergent evolution has resulted in similar changes in different environments.

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Abbreviations

ABC transporter:

ATP-binding casette transporter

EBF:

European BIOPAN Facility

GSH:

Glutathione

GST:

Glutathione S-transferase

ISS:

International Space Station

nPS:

Net photosynthesis

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

S/V:

Surface/volume ratio

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

THEMIS:

Thermal Emission Imaging System

UV:

Ultraviolet

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  1. Department of Vision Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK

    Richard A. Armstrong

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  1. School of Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, UP, India

    Vertika Shukla

  2. School of Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, UP, India

    Sanjeev Kumar

  3. Department of Environmental Science, School of Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, UP, India

    Narendra Kumar

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Armstrong, R.A. (2017). Adaptation of Lichens to Extreme Conditions. In: Shukla, V., Kumar, S., Kumar, N. (eds) Plant Adaptation Strategies in Changing Environment. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6744-0_1

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