Lichen Biology

by Edited by Thomas H. Nash, III

• ISBN13: 9780521871624
• ISBN10: 052187162X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-07-14
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Lichens are symbiotic organisms in which fungi and algae and/or cyanobacteria form an intimate biological union. This diverse group is found in almost all terrestrial habitats from the tropics to polar regions. In this second edition, four completely new chapters cover recent developments in the study of these fascinating organisms, including lichen genetics and sexual reproduction, stress physiology and symbiosis, and the carbon economy and environmental role of lichens. The whole text has been fully updated, with chapters covering anatomical, morphological and developmental aspects; the contribution of the unique secondary metabolites produced by lichens to medicine and the pharmaceutical industry; patterns of lichen photosynthesis and respiration in relation to different environmental conditions; the role of lichens in nitrogen fixation and mineral cycling; and the use of lichens as indicators of air pollution. This is a valuable reference for both students and researchers interested in lichenology.

Table of Contents

List of contributors	p. vii
Preface	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
Photobionts	p. 9
Mycobionts	p. 27
Thallus morphology and anatomy	p. 40
Morphogenesis	p. 69
Sexual reproduction in lichen-forming ascomycetes	p. 94
Biochemistry and secondary metabolites	p. 104
Stress physiology and the symbiosis	p. 134
Physiological ecology of carbon dioxide exchange	p. 152
The carbon economy of lichens	p. 182
Nitrogen, its metabolism and potential contribution to ecosystems	p. 216
Nutrients, elemental accumulation, and mineral cycling	p. 234
Individuals and populations of lichens	p. 252
Environmental role of lichens	p. 274
Lichen sensitivity to air pollution	p. 299
Lichen biogeography	p. 315
Systematics of lichenized fungi	p. 336
Culture methods for lichens and lichen symbionts	p. 353
References	p. 364
Taxon index	p. 462
Subject index	p. 477
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