Lichens are frequently used as indicators of air-borne depositions, yet the differential effect of different mineral nutrients on lichen growth is still poorly understood. Here we quantify relative lichen growth rates (RGR) in representatives of three functional groups (chloro-, cephalo-, cyanolichens; Xanthoria parietina, Lobaria pulmonaria, Lobarina scrobiculata, respectively) placed in growth cabinets and subjected to eight fertilization regimes, i.e. four concentrations of NH₄NO₃ with and without the addition of other essential nutrients. After the experimental period of 14 days, we were able to document: (1) most N in the sprayed solutions that could fill the lichen's water holding capacity (WHC) was taken up, except for lower uptake in the cyanolichen at high N irrigation; (2) an increase in chlorophyll a (Chl a – a proxy of photosynthetic capacity) in the chlorolichen with increasing N irrigation; (3) a strong corresponding decline in Chl a in the cyanolichen; (4) unchanged Chl a in the cephalolichen; and (5) a decline in RGR in all species with increasing N irrigation. Addition of other essential nutrients significantly boosted RGR in all species, suggesting that N was not the most limiting element. We conclude that (1) short-term growth experiments can characterize lichens’ fitness in response to mineral nutrient deposition, and that (2) WHC contributes to lichens’ capacity to capture mineral nutrients from wet depositions.

地衣经常被用作空气沉积的指标，但不同矿质营养素对地衣生长的不同影响仍然知之甚少。在这里，我们量化了放置在生长柜中并经受八种施肥方案，即四种浓度的三个功能组（氯-、头-、氰基；分别为Xanthoria parietina、Lobaria pulmonaria、Lobarina scrobiculata）的相对地衣生长速率 (RGR) NH ₄ NO ₃添加或不添加其他必需营养素。在 14 天的实验期后，我们能够证明：(1) 除了在高氮灌溉下氰绿藻的吸收较低外，喷洒溶液中可以填充地衣持水能力 (WHC) 的大部分 N 被吸收了；(2)随着 N 灌溉的增加，叶绿体中的叶绿素a（Chl a - 光合能力的代表）增加；（3）在叶绿素a强相应下降一个在cyanolichen; (4) 不变的 Chl a在头孢菌素中；(5) 随着 N 灌溉的增加，所有物种的 RGR 下降。添加其他必需营养素显着提高了所有物种的 RGR，表明 N 不是最受限制的元素。我们得出结论：（1）短期生长实验可以表征地衣对矿质养分沉积的适应性，并且（2）WHC 有助于地衣从湿沉积中捕获矿质养分的能力。