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Comparative Studies on Xanthoria Parietina, a Pollution Resistant Lichen, and Ramalina Duriaei, a Sensitive Species. II. Evaluation of Possible Air Pollution-Protection Mechanisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2007

L. Silberstein
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
B. Z. Siegel
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.
S. M. Siegel
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.
A. Mukhtar
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
M. Galun*
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
*
Corresponding author

Abstract

Surveys of the distribution of the lichens Xanthoria panetina and Ramalina duriaei in Israel showed that environments with air pollution had no damaging effectson X. panetina, whereas R. duriaei had disappeared from polluted environments: physiological studies supported this relative sensitivity. Investigations of possible defence mechanisms protecting X. parietina from the damaging effects of air pollution showed a multitude of possible protective systems. These included constitutive avoidance such as: efficient buffering capacity; a relatively high potassium content; and antioxidation by parietin, and induced tolerance such as: SO2 oxidation to non-toxic sulphate; increased glutathione content; induced praline and arginine synthesis; and increased detoxification of active oxygen forms.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Lichen Society 1996

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Footnotes

Deceased.