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Karsten U, Holzinger A. Green algae in alpine biological soil crust communities: acclimation strategies against ultraviolet radiation and dehydration. Biodivers Conserv. 2014;23:1845-1858doi: 10.1007/s10531-014-0653-2.
Karsten, U., & Holzinger, A. (2014). Green algae in alpine biological soil crust communities: acclimation strategies against ultraviolet radiation and dehydration. Biodiversity and conservation, 231845-1858. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0653-2
Karsten, Ulf, and Holzinger, Andreas. "Green algae in alpine biological soil crust communities: acclimation strategies against ultraviolet radiation and dehydration." Biodiversity and conservation vol. 23 (2014): 1845-1858. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0653-2
Karsten U, Holzinger A. Green algae in alpine biological soil crust communities: acclimation strategies against ultraviolet radiation and dehydration. Biodivers Conserv. 2014;23:1845-1858. doi: 10.1007/s10531-014-0653-2. Epub 2014 Mar 02. PMID: 24954980; PMCID: PMC4058318.
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Biodivers Conserv. 2014;23:1845-1858. doi: 10.1007/s10531-014-0653-2. Epub 2014 Mar 02.

Green algae in alpine biological soil crust communities: acclimation strategies against ultraviolet radiation and dehydration.

Biodiversity and conservation

Ulf Karsten, Andreas Holzinger

Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany.
  2. Functional Plant Biology, Institute of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.

PMID: 24954980 PMCID: PMC4058318 DOI: 10.1007/s10531-014-0653-2

Abstract

Green algae are major components of biological soil crusts in alpine habitats. Together with cyanobacteria, fungi and lichens, green algae form a pioneer community important for the organisms that will succeed them. In their high altitudinal habitat these algae are exposed to harsh and strongly fluctuating environmental conditions, mainly intense irradiation, including ultraviolet radiation, and lack of water leading to desiccation. Therefore, green algae surviving in these environments must have evolved with either avoidance or protective strategies, as well as repair mechanisms for damage. In this review we have highlighted these mechanisms, which include photoprotection, photochemical quenching, and high osmotic values to avoid water loss, and in some groups flexibility of secondary cell walls to maintain turgor pressure even in water-limited situations. These highly specialized green algae will serve as good model organisms to study desiccation tolerance or photoprotective mechanisms, due to their natural capacity to withstand unfavorable conditions. We point out the urgent need for modern phylogenetic approaches in characterizing these organisms, and molecular methods for analyzing the metabolic changes involved in their adaptive strategies.

Keywords: Antioxidants; Biodiversity; Klebsormidium; Organic osmolytes; UV-sunscreens; Ultrastructure

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