Interspecific and intraspecific variability of water use traits in macrolichen species in a fragmented landscape along a climatic ecotone area.

Water use traits in lichens are important attributes that determine the duration of hydration and metabolically active periods. In this study, the water holding capacity (WHC) and specific thallus mass (STM) were measured for seven macrolichen species (Parmelia sulcata, Parmelina tiliacea, Evernia prunastri, Ramalina farinacea, Lobaria pulmonaria, Lobarina scrobiculata and Nephroma resupinatum) from a Temperate-Mediterranean fragmented landscape. Twenty Quercus forests with different environmental conditions were selected to gather therein five lichen samples of each species in order to analyse their interspecific and intraspecific variation in WHC and STM.

Delftia rhizosphaerae sp. nov. isolated from the rhizosphere of Cistus ladanifer.

A bacterial strain, designated RA6T, was isolated from the rhizosphere of Cistus ladanifer. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence placed the isolate into the genus Delftia within a cluster encompassing the type strains of Delftia lacustris, Delftia tsuruhatensis, Delftia acidovorans and Delftia litopenaei, which presented greater than 97 % sequence similarity with respect to strain RA6T. DNA-DNA hybridization studies showed average relatedness ranging from of 11 to 18 % between these species of the genus Delftia and strain RA6T.