Data from "Continuous monitoring of chlorophyll a fluorescence and microclimatic conditions reveals warming-induced physiological damage in biocrust-forming lichens"

Data recorded in the microcosm experiment conducted at the Climate Change Outdoor Laboratory of Rey Juan Carlos University (CCOL; Móstoles, Spain: 40°20’37’’N, 3°52’00’’W, 650 m a.s.l.) from 21 September 2016 to 25 May 2017 (when the experiment was harvested). The experiment comprised a fully factorial design with a warming treatment (two levels: control vs. ~2.3 °C temperature increase) where six thallus of Psora decipiens were monitored, being the half of them (three replicates) under ambient conditions (control treatment) and the other half under warming conditions (warming treatment). Three microclimatic parameters and the indicators of PSII functioning (Yield and Fv/Fm) were monitored using the HexPAM monitoring device (Gademann Instruments, Wuerzburg, Germany), which consists of a central unit that operates the device and records the data of six connected measuring heads. Each measuring head has sensors to measure lichen surface temperature, relative moisture, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, µmolm-2 s-1) and metabolic activity using a Pulse-Amplitude-Modulation automatic fluorometer with an optical fiber that is placed a few mm away from each Psora thallus.