Species Composition of the Lichen Biota in Industrially Polluted Territories of Leninsky District of Irkutsk

In the context of the development of infrastructure in Siberian cities, the issues of the state of the areas with accumulated environmental damage is especially relevant. It is mentioned in the article that lichen indication is an efficient method of passive monitoring of environment for industrial pollutants caused by morphological changes occurring in sensitive objects. The results of the lichen floristic research of Leninsky district of Irkutsk are presented, a list of revealed lichens including 9 genera and 12 species is given, a taxonomic list of this area is discussed. Lichenological objects were mapped. Distribution of lichens in the area of research is investigated with regard to the presence of recreational and residential zones. The authors draw a conclusion about the presence of «lichens deserts» which are caused both by the absence of the respective substratum and high concentration of pollutants. High concentration of pollutants is caused by complex influence of different enterprises on the quality of air.

Contemporary State of Preservation of the Lichen Biota in the Eastern Part of the “Paprocie Serpentynitowe w Masywie Ślęży” Ecological Area

The purpose of this study was to assess the contemporary conditions of the lichen biota in the eastern part of the “Paprocie Serpentynitowe w Masywie Ślęży” ecological area in the Sudetes Foothills. The studies were carried out at three localities selected from 10 sites that were designed to protect the Asplenium fern genus. A total of 47 lichen species were found in the three localities. For each of the recorded species, the state of preservation in the Ślęża Massif area was assessed according to three factors: frequency at all three localities, general viability of the thalli, and stability in occurrence on the habitat. Stability was defined based on contemporary and historical data. From the analysis, most of the species (17) were classified as taxa with “moderate preservation status” in the study area. However, the preservation status of the 18 newly recorded taxa was defined as “insufficient data” due to the lack of previous records. Other species received a “very good preservation status” (three taxa) and “good preservation status” (nine taxa). The analyses allowed us to document the current number of taxa, determine their health condition, and indicate trends in the transformation within the lichen biota of the serpentinite rocks in the study area. Moreover, some actions were proposed to actively protect the valuable lichens in the ecological area of “Paprocie Serpentynitowe w Masywie Ślęży.”

A preliminary investigation of the lichen biota associated with recently deglaciated terrain in southeastern Alaska

Glaciers worldwide are currently retreating at unprecedented rates, revealing large tracts of newly exposed rock and till. We present the results of a preliminary, qualitative investigation of the lichen diversity of transient habitats near three glaciers in southeastern Alaska: Muir Glacier within Glacier Bay National Park, and Baird and Patterson Glaciers in the Tongass National Forest. This work is noteworthy as it (i) documents previously undescribed lichen species and communities within rapidly changing glacier habitats, (ii) illustrates the importance of cryptogams (lichens, bryophytes, algae, and cyanobacteria) in the primary colonization of recently deglaciated terrain, (iii) sets apart the lichen biota of recently deglaciated terrain in southeastern Alaska from that of other glacial regions worldwide (e.g., the European Alps, Svalbard, and southern South America) and even other parts of Alaska (e.g., Brooks Range), and (iv) emphasizes the importance of more lichen studies that focus on this rapidly changing habitat. The lichen biotas found at different successional stages near these glaciers are described and compared. The role of lichens and other cryptogams in post-glacial vegetation initiation, the threats to the lichen biota, and suggestions for the possible origins of the lichen propagules that colonize these newly exposed surfaces are also discussed.

Diversity of lichen biota of oak forests of the reserve «Vydritsa» (Republic of Belarus, Gomel Region)

As a result of the research, the species composition of lichens and closely related fungi of the oak forest of the reserve «Vydritsa» (Republic of Belarus, Gomel Region) has been revealed. An annotated list, including 113 species has been compiled, 106 of these species are lichens, 6 – non-lichenised saprobic and 1 – lichenicolous fungi. Species Calicium adspersum, Cetrelia olivetorum, Chaenotheca chlorella, Cladonia caespiticia, Lobaria pulmonaria and Parmotrema stuppeum are included in the Red Data Book of Belarus and are listed for the first time for the Svetlogorsk district and the reserve «Vydritsa». The indicator lichens of old-growth oak forests include 20 species; 28 species were recorded in all 12 surveyed localities.

Pyrenocarpous lichens in Goa with five new records to India

The pyrenocarpous lichens are the one which produces perithecial ascocarps. They are one of the prominent groups of lichens in tropical forests. Frequent incidence of pyrenocarpous taxa in lichen biota of Goa prompted us to take up the exclusive study of this group in the State. The study revealed the occurrence of 79 species belonging to 15 genera and seven families. The family Pyrenulaceae had the maximum number of 23 species, while 20 belonged to the family Porinaceae. In comparison to North Goa, South Goa is fairly well explored for lichens representing 71 species from 11 localities. The following five species are reported as new to India — Porina exserta, P. siamensis, Pyrenula dissimulans, P. pyrenastrospora and P. rinodinospora. With the addition of five new records, the Goa State now represents 165 species of lichens, out of which 48% is represented by pyrenocarpous lichens. The present study will be useful for monographic studies on pyrenocarpous lichens and for environmental monitoring studies in the area, as this can be considered as a key indicator species.

Refining the picture: new records to the lichen biota of Italy

Based on the analysis of both historical and recent collections, this paper reports an annotated list of taxa which are new to the lichen biota of Italy or of its administrative regions. Specimens were identified using a dissecting and a compound microscope; routine chemical spot tests and standardized thin-layer chromatography (TLC or HPTLC). The list includes 225 records of 153 taxa. Twenty taxa are new to Italy, the others are new to one or more administrative regions, with 15 second records and 5 third records for Italy. Some of the species belong to recently-described taxa, others are poorly known, sterile or ephemeral lichens which were largely overlooked in Italy. Several species are actually rare, either because of the rarity of their habitats (e.g. old-growth forests), or because in Italy they are at the margins of their bioclimatic distribution. The picture of the lichen biota of Italy has now new pixels, but its grain is still coarse. Further analysis of historical collections, increased efforts in the exploration of some areas, and the taxonomic revision of critical groups are still necessary to provide more complete distributional data for new biogeographic hypotheses, taxonomic and ecological research, and biodiversity conservation.

New Distributional Records of the Genus Usnea (Lichenized Ascomycota) from Arunachal Pradesh, India

The genus Usnea Dill.ex Adans. is worked out based on the new collections and represented by 29 species in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, a biodiversity hotspot in north-east India. Six species viz. Usnea angulata Ach., U. compressa Taylor, U. himalayana Bab. U. montisfuji Motyka, U. perplexans Stirt., U. picta (J. Steiner) Motyka are new additions to the state lichen biota. Two species namely U. cineraria Motyka and U. thomsonii Stirt. are endemic to the Himalayan region. The genus is a potent source of phytomedicine and has multifarious ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological significance. An identification key to all the species is provided to facilitate their identification while new additions to the state are dealt briefly along with their photographs and a table showing the distribution of species within the state. Indian species of Usnea need thorough phytochemical screening to record their unique uses for the human benefits.

Phaeorrhiza (Physciaceae), a new lichen genus record to China

The genus Phaeorrhiza is reported as new for the Chinese lichen biota, including the two species, Phaeorrhiza nimbosa (Fr.) H. Mayrhofer & Poelt and P. sareptana var. sphaerocarpa. (Tr. Fr.) H. Mayrhofer & Poelt. The genus grows on soil in alpine meadows, morphologically characterized by a squamulose to subfoliose thallus, rhizohyphae, and Beltraminia-type ascospores. P. nimbosa has cryptolecanorine to eulecanorine apothecia, while P. sareptana var. sphaerocarpa has lecideine apothecia. Descriptions, a key and a phylogram of these species are provided.

The lichens of Pukhtolova Gora (St. Petersburg, Russia)

The lichen diversity of the proposed protected area Pukhtolova Gora counts 252 species, including 232 lichenized, 12 lichenicolous, and 8 non-lichenized saprobic fungi. Micarea laeta, M. pusilla, and Pyrenidium actinellum s. lat. are new to North-Western European Russia; Parmelia serrana, Rhizocarpon cinereovirens, and Stereocaulon taeniarum are new to St. Petersburg. Altogether 13 species recorded in the study area are red-listed in St. Petersburg, with two of them known only from historical collections. Pukhtolova Gora is an area with a high conservation value; the lichen biota of this area is one of the richest within the city limits due to the well-preserved forest habitats.