Unravelling the links between exudation, VOC emission, photosynthesis and elemental composition in bryophytes.

Bryophytes have played a remarkable role shaping our planet and still nowadays they condition the structure and function of many ecosystems. Despite the fact that they are excellent bioindicators, the proportion of ecological studies focused on bryophytes, compared to those of vascular plants is clearly insufficient. So far, no efforts have been devoted to exploring the links between exudation, VOC emission, photosynthesis and elemental composition in bryophytes. This project will explore these links, for the first time, using 10 hygrophytic (aquatic and semi-aquatic) bryophytes (8 mosses and 2 liverworts) distributed over a large gradient of water chemistry in Mediterranean springs (Catalonia, north-east Iberian Peninsula). In particular, the project will test two hypotheses: i) Bryophytes with higher rates of photosynthesis will have higher N and P concentrations and higher rates of exudation and emission of VOC, and ii) Water chemistry and, especially, water conductivity, will be linked to changes in bryophyte elemental composition, exudation, emission of VOC and photosynthesis. This project will provide a dataset containing information from 150 samples of bryophytes of 10 different species including: i) elemental composition (CNP + additional elements) ii) patterns of exudation, iii) emissions of VOCs and photosynthesis and iv) water chemistry of the springs. Given that almost nothing is known about bryophyte exudation and VOC emissions, this project will make a very important contribution to basic research. Results will also be useful to understand the evolution of early plants. The requested funds will pay the field work to collect the bryophytes and the analyses of exudates, VOC emissions, photosynthesis and bryophyte elemental composition.

Keywords:ECOSYSTEM STUDY, ECOLOGY, ECOHYDROLOGY, ECOLOGICAL DATA

Disciplines:Chemical and physical ecology, Terrestrial ecology, Plant biochemistry, Plant ecology