RESUMO
The loss of biological soil crusts represents a challenge for the restoration of disturbed environments, specifically in particular substrates hosting unique lichen communities. However, the recovery of lichen species affected by mining is rarely addressed in restoration projects. Here, we evaluate the translocation of Diploschistes diacapsis, a representative species of gypsum lichen communities affected by quarrying. We tested how a selection of adhesives could improve thallus attachment to the substrate and affect lichen vitality (as CO2 exchange and fluorescence) in rainfall-simulation and field experiments. Treatments included: white glue, water, hydroseeding stabiliser, gum arabic, synthetic resin, and a control with no adhesive. Attachment differed only in the field, where white glue and water performed best. Adhesives altered CO2 exchange and fluorescence yield. Notably, wet spoils allowed thalli to bind to the substrate after drying, revealing as the most suitable option for translocation. The satisfactory results applying water on gypsum spoils are encouraging to test this methodology with other lichen species. Implementing these measures in restoration projects would be relatively easy and cost-effective. It would help not only to recover lichen species in the disturbed areas but also to take advantage of an extremely valuable biological material that otherwise would be lost.
RESUMO
Gypsum habitats are widespread globally and are important for biological conservation. Nevertheless, they are often affected by human disturbances and thus require restoration. Sowing and planting have shown positive results, but these actions are usually limited by the lack of native plant material in commercial nurseries, and very little information is available on the propagation of these species. We address this issue from the hypothesis that gypsum added to a standard nursery growing medium (peat) can improve seedling performance of gypsum species and, therefore, optimise the seedling production for outplanting purposes. We test the effect of gypsum on emergence, survival, and growth of nine native plant species, including gypsophiles (exclusive to gypsum) and gypsovags (non-exclusive to gypsum). We used four treatments according to the proportions, in weight, of gypsum:standard peat (G:S), i.e. high-g (50G:50S), medium-g (25G:75S), low-g (10G:90S), and standard-p (0G:100S). Our results showed that the gypsum treatments especially benefited the emergence stage, gypsophiles as group, and Ononis tridentata as a taxon. In particular, the gypsum treatments enhanced emergence of seven species, survival of three species, and growth of two gypsophiles, while the use of the standard peat favoured only the emergence or growth of three gypsovags. Improving emergence and survival at the nursery can provide a reduction of costs associated with seed harvesting, watering, and space, while enlarging seedlings can favour the establishment of individuals after outplanting. Thus, we suggest adding gypsum to standard peat for propagating seedlings in species from gypsum habitats, thereby potentially cutting the costs of restoring such habitats. Our assessment enables us to provide particular advice by species. In general, we recommend using between 25 and 50% of gypsum to propagate gypsophiles, and between 0 and 10% for gypsovags. The results can benefit not only the production of widely distributed species commonly affected by gypsum quarrying, but also of narrow and threatened endemic species that require particularly efficient use of their seeds. In addition, our study highlights the importance of using appropriate growing media to propagate plants characteristic of special substrates for restoration purposes.
