Wang, C., Yang, L., Yuan, Q., Munzi, S. & Liu, M. (2015) Nitrogen sensitivity of four epiphytic lichens from habitats of Rhinopithecus roxellana in Shennongjia nature reserve. Chinese Journal of Ecology, 34(3), 626-633.
To explore the potential impacts of nitrogen deposition on lichen diversity in SnubNosed Monkey( Rhinopithecus roxellana) habitats in Shennongjia,an in-situ experiment was conducted in a forest in Shennongjia Nature Reserve. Four common epiphytic lichens( Usnea longissima,Usnea betulina,Ramalina calicaris var. japonica and Parmotrema hypoleucinum) were collected,then soaked in solutions of KNO3,NH4NO3,( NH4)2SO4,or deionized water three times,for half an hour each time at 0,24 and 48 h,respectively; then Fv/ Fm,cell integrity( measured as solution electrical conductivity,RE) and chlorophyll OD435/ OD415 were measured after 72 h,which are indexes indicating lichen sensitivity to nitrogen deposition. The results showed that higher nitrogen concentration led to a significant decrease of Fv/ Fmand OD435/ OD415 and a significant increase of RE. Furthermore,species-specific differences in sensitivity were found for different nitrogen types and different indications. Based on the response of Fv/ Fm,U.longissima and U. betulina were more sensitive to KNO3 than to NH4SO4 and NH4NO3,but R.calicaris var. japonica and P. hypoleucinum were more sensitive to( NH4)2SO4than to KNO3 and NH4NO3. According to RE response to nitrogen treatment,U. longissim,U. betulina and P. hypoleucinum were most sensitive to( NH4)2SO4,but there was no significant difference among responses of R. calicaris var. japonica to KNO3,NH4NO3and ( NH4) 2SO4. As with OD435/ OD415,U. longissim and P. hypoleucinum were more sensitive to( NH4)2SO4than to KNO3 and NH4NO3,U. betulina was more sensitive to KNO3and( NH4)2SO4than to NH4NO3,but R. calicaris var. japonica was equally sensitive to the three nitrogen types. The results suggested that more attention should be paid to negative effects of nitrate deposition on habitats of Snub-Nosed Monkey at Shennongjia Nature Reserve,and further investigation on effects of nitrogen deposition on lichen biomass accumulation and nutrition components should be conducted to a perfect conservation of Sichuan Snub-Nosed Monkey.
Silvana Munzi SymAction
