Interspecific differences in desiccation tolerance of selected Antarctic lichens: Analysis of photosystem II effectivity and quenching mechanisms

Lichens can survive and cope with unsufficient water supply resulting in low intrathalline relative content. Under such conditions, photosynthesis is negatively affected by different degree of dehydration. In our study, fully hydrated samples Xanthoria elegans, Umbilicaria decussata Usnea aurantiaco-atra were light-acclimated during following desiccation from a to dry state, steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence (FS), effective quantum yield photochemical processes PSII (ФPSII), nonphotochemical quenching (qN) measured response decreasing content (RWC). The three experimental lichen species showed high tolerance. desiccation-induced decrease ФPSII was found X. U. aurantiaco-atra, at the RWC values below 30%. This well comparable evidence reached other Arctic / Antarctic species. Interspecific differences tolerance these selected lichens, based on analysis photosystem II effectivity mechanisms, described discussed.