Microclimate effects on cyphellae density in Sticta lichens

The genus Sticta is a dominant lichen in tropical montane rainforest environments that is unique in possessing cyphellae, i.e. depressed pores involved in gas exchange, on the undersides of thalli. Microclimatic parameters such as relative humidity, canopy density and temperature were measured in relation to cyphellae density and colony size of S. filix in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Significant correlations were found relating canopy density to cyphellae density (R2 = 0.200, p = 0.0007, n = 54), (R2 = 0.213, p = 0.0016, n = 44), colony size to temperature (R2 = 0.239, p = 0.0002, n = 54), (R2 = 0.592, p =. \u3c0.0001, n = 20), as well as colony size to humidity (R2 = 0.301, p = \u3c0.0001, n = 54), (R2 = 0.567, p = 0.0092, n = 20), (R2 = 0.272, p = 0.0016, n = 34) . Significant differences were shown between non-reproductive individuals of edge and interior microhabitats and temperature (t = -9.024, DF = 42, p = \u3c0. 0001). Further analyses showed significant differences between non-reproductive and reproductive individuals and temperature (U = 67.50, p= 0.0472, n = 34) as well as canopy density (U = 67.00, p = 0.0452, n = 34); as well as a significant difference between interior and edge individuals and canopy size (U = 217.00, p = 0.0276, n = 54). El género Sticta es un liquen dominante en los ambientes del bosque montano tropical que es único en poseer cifelas, es decir poros deprimidos involucrados en el intercambio de gases, en las caras inferiores de los talos. Los parámetros micro climáticos, tales como la humedad relativa, la densidad del dosel y la temperatura fueron medidos en relación a la densidad de la cifela y el tamaño de la colonia de S. filix en el Bosque Nuboso de Monteverde.https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/1307/thumbnail.jp