Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SUITCASES (SUITCASES – Adaptive photobiont community assemblage as a process of lichen response to changing environments)
Reporting period: 2022-03-16 to 2024-03-15
Lichens, symbiotic organisms composed of fungi, photobionts (algal partners), and bacteria, play crucial roles, particularly in cold environments, contributing significantly to biogeochemical cycles and trophic interactions. Recent scientific evidence suggests that lichen photobionts play decisive roles in lichen adaptation to different environments, yet the mechanisms behind this are poorly understood. et, many key aspects behind lichen adaptability are still unknown because of the complexity and fluidity of lichen symbiosis, the difficulty to recreate lichens in the laboratory setting, and the limitation that taxonomic identification of photobionts is only possible by genotyping.
The goal of SUITCASES was to understand at the genetic level how photobiont community living in lichens responds to different environmental conditions and to unravel the photobionts unknown life cycle.
Three projects with three objectives arise from the MSCA action. The publications are not yet available
Project 1 Investigates how environmental conditions represented by the annual seasons
Project 2 Investigates how environmental conditions represented by pollution influence photobiont community assemblage within lichens
Project 3 Investigate how photobionts travel across environment using lichens as suitace.
The goal of SUITCASES was to understand at the genetic level how photobiont community living in lichens responds to different environmental conditions and to unravel the photobionts unknown life cycle.
Three projects with three objectives arise from the MSCA action. The publications are not yet available
Project 1 Investigates how environmental conditions represented by the annual seasons
Project 2 Investigates how environmental conditions represented by pollution influence photobiont community assemblage within lichens
Project 3 Investigate how photobionts travel across environment using lichens as suitace.
The work necessary for this project included filed trips to collect lichen samples, molecular lab work (DNA extractions, normal and quantitative PCR, genome sequencing), microscopy, chemical analyses of the trace elements and bioinformatic analyses (phylogenies. metagenomic assemblies). It also required communication with stakeholders, organising lab and field work, preparing presentations, attending different courses and writing grant applications.
The following results were achieved for the final period:
- field trip complete
- courses complete
- chemical analyses of the trace elements
- dissemination of the results with presentation for the host and secondment institution, and stakeholders: the iron-ore mining company from Kiruna (LKAB) and the reindeer herder Sami village Laevas.
- outreach events: ECOTONE
- writing sucesfull grant applications - I received this year a 400,000 Euro establishment grant from the Swedish Research Council
The following results were achieved for the final period:
- field trip complete
- courses complete
- chemical analyses of the trace elements
- dissemination of the results with presentation for the host and secondment institution, and stakeholders: the iron-ore mining company from Kiruna (LKAB) and the reindeer herder Sami village Laevas.
- outreach events: ECOTONE
- writing sucesfull grant applications - I received this year a 400,000 Euro establishment grant from the Swedish Research Council
In one of the projects I am collaborating with two stake holders: the iron-ore mining company from Kiruna (LKAB) and the reindeer herder Sami village Laevas. These stake holders are very interested to understand the impact of pollution generated by the mine on the lichen biodiversity and health status. The results and the scientific publication of WP1b will answer many of their questions.