Effects of Sulfur Dioxide on Lichen Lipids and Fatty Acids

I. A. Bychek-Guschina^1*, E. R. Kotlova², and H. Heipieper³

¹Institute of Ecology of the Volga River Basin, Russian Academy of Sciences, Togliatti, 445003 Russia; fax: (8469) 48-9504; E-mail: bychek@tlt.volga.ru

²Komarov Botanical Institute, St. Petersburg, 197376 Russia

³Department of Biology, Third University of Rome, Rome, Italy

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received January 13, 1998; Revision received September 17, 1998

---

Lipids and fatty acids were studied in some lichen species after exposure to 1 ppm of aqueous sulfur dioxide. The changes in lipid composition are specific to the lichen species tested. The exposure of lichens to SO₂ resulted in a slight reduction of the total phospholipid content. The amount of betaine lipid diacylglyceryltrimethylhomoserine was increased in Stereocaulon paschale, but the level of this lipid was not changed in Peltigera aphthosa. An increase in fatty acid unsaturation in lichens in response to the effect of SO₂ probably has adaptive significance.

---

KEY WORDS: lichen, sulfur dioxide, phospholipids, neutral lipids, betaine lipids, glycolipids, fatty acids

---