Impact of UV-B, Heat and Chemicals on Ethylene-Production of Lichens

To assess the impact of UV-B radiation combined with NaHSO3 in solution under laboratory conditions, we compared the amounts of stress-ethylene produced by two lichen species of the same genus. Ramalina lacera, an epiphytic Mediterranean lichen, was found to be rather sensitive to UV-B combined with NaHSO3, relative to the epilithic desert lichen R. maciformis. The impact of high temperatures with FeCl2 in solution, measured by amounts of stress ethylene accentuated the adaptability of R. maciformis to desert conditions, whereas R. lacera appeared to be rather sensitive to extreme temperatures especially in the case of chemical contamination. The adaptability of R. maciformis to UV-B appears to be related to the photoprotective capabilities of lichen substances.