POTASSIUM EFFLUX BY LICHEN THALLI FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO AQUEOUS SULPHUR DIOXIDE* Journal Articles uri icon

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abstract

  • SummaryPotassium efflux is a useful experimental quantity for assessing damage to lichens exposed to SO2. This SO2‐induced K+ efflux is biphasic in response to increasing concentrations of aqueous SO2. The first phase can be extrapolated to identify the SO2 concentration at which no K+ release occurred above the control values. This threshold concentration was used to determine the relative sensitivities of various lichen species. Good agreement was observed between the total K+ lost and the reduction in the total photosynthetic 14C‐fixation rates. The magnitude of the SO2‐induced K+ efflux indicated that release occurred from intra‐cellular sources. The kinetics of the release process and the effects of SO2 on membrane integrity are discussed.

authors

  • Nieboer, Evert
  • PUCKETT, KJ
  • TOMASSINI, FD
  • NIEBOERJ, E
  • RICHARDSON, DHS

publication date

  • July 1977