Epiphytic lichens: water saturation of thallus and assimilates pigments concentration

The dynamics of water uptake and photosynthetic pigments concentration in the thalli of epiphytic lichens Evernia prunastri, Hypogymnia physodes, Ramalina pollinaria and Xanthoria parietina during their exposure for 180 minutes in a wet chamber was investigated. Methods: physiological, spectrophotometric, statistical. It was found that air-dry lichens thalli absorbed the bulk water for the first 15 minutes of being in a wet environment. When moisture thalli from air-dry state to water saturation the photosynthetic pigments concentration are not changed.