Different altitudinal distributions of the two chemical varieties of Pseudevernia furfuracea collide with the conserved physiological response of transplanted lichens

The lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea consists of two varieties, furfuracea and ceratea, which differ in secondary metabolites and geographical distribution. The aim of this work is to test the hypothesis that they also differ in altitudinal distribution possibly because they differ in some physiological responses to climatic factors. An extensive sampling was carried out in the South-eastern Alps, from 760 to 2100 m above sea level (a.s.l.), which showed that var. ceratea (with olivetoric acid, OA, as major and physodic acid, PA, as minor) is restricted to the highest altitudes, between 1500 and 2100 m, while var. furfuracea (with PA) is still widespread at the lowest altitudes. Subsequently, three areas (A-C) with different precipitation levels (A