THE POSTFIRE RECOVERY OF ROCK-INHABITING ALGAE, MICROFUNGI, AND LICHENS

Despite numerous investigations on the re-establishment of epiphytic cryptogams, especially lichens, after forest fires, very little is known about the recolonization of burnt rocks by lithobiontic microorganisms after fire in the Mediterranean region. Reported herein are the results of a combined field observation and scanning electron microscopy study focusing on the connection between the microrelief of the rocks that was shaped during prefire periods and the recolonization of pioneer lithobiontic microorganisms after the fire. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the burnt rock surfaces exhibit 10 kinds of weathering elements that include 9 kinds of cryptogamic imprints corroded by saxicolous (rock-inhabiting) unicellular green algae, free-living microfungi, and fruiting bodies or microgrooves of endolithic lichens during prefire periods. The total volume of several selected structural weathering elements formed by lithobiontic microorganisms during the prefire period was estimated relative to the possible contribution of these lithobionts to local pedogenesis. Considering that the specific weight of chalk is 2.6 g/cm3, the estimated amount of the rock material removed by small pits with a diameter of 0.01 mm formed by unicellular green algae during the prefire period can reach 3.06 kg/ha mountain area with 10% rock coverage, while the estimated amount of chalk rock material removed by pinhead holes with a diameter of 0.8 mm formed by fruiting bodies of endolithic lichens can reach 174 kg/ha with the same rock coverage. Water-holding capacity of empty pinhead holes and small pits on the rock surface in burnt areas was also estimated, and it is suggested that the water-holding capacity of empty small pits (d = 0.01 mm) formed by unicellular green algae on rock surface per hectare mountain area with 10% rock coverage can reach 1.18 L, whereas in case of pinhead holes (d = 0.8 mm) formed by fruiting bodies of endolithic lichens the water-holding capacity can reach 66.9 L/ha with the same rock coverage. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of three different kinds of unicellular green algae. one free-living microfungus, two different species of endolithic lichens, two epilithic lichen species, and great numbers of lichen ascospores, fungal spores, and hyphae established postfire in pinhead holes and small pits produced by former microlithobionts inhabiting rocks during prefire periods. These microorganisms and diaspores were also present in ruts, shallow rock depressions, and microcrevices produced by abiotic factors.