Lichens of swamp complexes of Sakhalin Island (Sakhalin Region, Russian Far East)

This paper presents the results of the study of lichen flora in swamp complexes of Sakhalin Island, obtained during expeditionary research in 2005–2009 and 2014–2020. The revealed species composition of lichens includes 172 species. The 28 of them are new for Sakhalin and 93 are new for the island swamp complexes. Bryocaulon pseudosatoanum is included in the regional and federal Red lists. Lecidea nylanderi is new to the south of the Far East. The information about substrates, habitats and locations is given for all species. The data on the distribution in the south of the Far East and, in some cases for all Far East, are listed for selected species that are new for Sakhalin Island and the south of the Far East. For the first time, a characteristic of the distribution of lichens in oligotrophic, eutrophic and mesotrophic bogs of Sakhalin Island is given.

Addition to the lichen flora of Iturup Island (Sakhalin Region, Russian Far East)

As a result of expeditionary investigations on Iturup Island (southern group of islands of the Kuril archipelago), 61 species of lichens were identified as new to the island, including Porpidia contraponenda and Xylographa rubescens – new to the Russian Far East, and Amandinea coniops and Arthonia dispuncta – new to the South of the Russian Far East. Six species are new to the Sakhalin Region. The difference in species composition of the Sea of Okhotsk coast and the Pacific coast of Iturup Island is briefly discussed.

Diversity of lichens, mosses and vascular plants in the paludified herb-rich spruce forests of the Pinego-Mezen watershed (Arkhangelsk Region)

The paludified herb-rich spruce forests of the Pinego-Mezen watershed are characterized by a high speciesand coenotical diversity. The habitat type (floodplain, stream valley, mire margin) is the main compositional gradientfor vascular plant and moss diversity. The density, basal area and proportion of spruce and deciduous species in thetree stand are less significant. The main compositional gradient of the lichen diversity is the tree stand structure, whichprovides the availability and quality of the substrate for the epiphytic and epixilic lichens that prevail in such communities.The gradient of paludified herb-rich spruce forests from floodplain habitat to mire margins is less significant for thecomposition of lichen flora.

Why is the rainforest lichen Methuselah’s Beard (Usnea longissima) so rare in British Columbia’s inland temperate rainforest?

Coastal (CTR) and inland temperate rainforests (ITR) in western North America share a rich oceanic lichen flora. The distinctive Methuselah’s beard lichen (Usnea longissima) is an exception to this pattern of shared distributions, with very few ITR locations. Does this absence reflect dispersal limitations or climatic intolerance? To answer this question, we transplanted U. longissima thalli from the CTR to three ITR locations, assessing growth rates against reciprocal CTR transplants. Canopy microclimate measurements provided concurrent data on growth conditions. Growth rate responses (length, mass and area) were evaluated after summer and full-year transplants. Notwithstanding extended drought conditions during the summer period, annual transplants at two of the three ITR locations supported growth rates comparable to those at the CTR source U. longissima population, with summer dewfall and autumn rains being major ITR hydration sources. Thalli transplanted to a third ITR site (summer measurements only) in a location transitional to the drier interior plateau lost both mass and length. Based on these findings we suggest that the absence of U. longissima from much of the ITR reflects the combined influence of dispersal limitations and requirements for stands with long site continuity and topographically induced summer wetting of thalli by dewfall.

Additions to the lichen flora of the Kologriv Forest Reserve and Kostroma Region

As a result of determining the lichens collected in summer 2020 in the territory of the Kologriv Forest State Nature Reserve (Kostroma Region), 57 species (44 lichens, 5 non-lichenized and 8 lichenicolous fungi) new to the lichen flora of the Reserve were identified. Among them, 49 species and 17 genera (Acrocordia, Allocalicium, Acarospora, Biatoridium, Catinaria, Cryptodiscus, Didymocyrtis, Fellhanera, Inoderma, Intralichen, Lichenoconium, Melaspileella, Rebentischia, Schismatomma, Sclerococcum, Thelidium, and Tremella) are new for the Kostroma Region. Micarea melanobola is new for Russia. The genus Rebentischia with species R. massalongii as well as Ramalina vogulica are published for the first time for the European Russia. Five species: Allocalicium adaequatum, Bryoria glabra, Japewia subaurifera, Sclerococcum simplex, and Tremella hypogymniae – are reported as new records for the Middle Russia. Information on habitats, substrates and distribution in the neighboring regions is provided.

Spatial Distribution of Lichens in Metrosideros excelsa in Northern New Zealand Urban Forests

The spatial distribution of corticolous lichens on the iconic New Zealand pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) tree was investigated from a survey of urban parks and forests across the city of Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand. Lichens were identified from ten randomly selected trees at 20 sampling sites, with 10 sites classified as coastal and another 10 as inland sites. Lichen data were correlated with distance from sea, distance from major roads, distance from native forests, mean tree DBH (diameter at breast height) and the seven-year average of measured NO2 over the area. A total of 33 lichen species were found with coastal sites harboring significantly higher average lichen species per tree as well as higher site species richness. We found mild hotspots in two sites for average lichen species per tree and another two separate sites for species richness, with all hotspots at the coast. A positive correlation between lichen species richness and DBH was found. Sites in coastal locations were more similar to each other in terms of lichen community composition than they were to adjacent inland sites and some species were only found at coastal sites. The average number of lichen species per tree was negatively correlated with distance from the coast, suggesting that the characteristic lichen flora found on pōhutukawa may be reliant on coastal microclimates. There were no correlations with distance from major roads, and a slight positive correlation between NO2 levels and average lichen species per tree.

New records of lichens and lichenicolous fungi from Murmansk Region, Russia

As a contribution to the lichen flora of the Murmansk Region, eight taxa of lichens and lichenicolous fungi collected from the biogeographic province Kuusamo, are reported for the first time, including two species new to Russia: Roselliniella nephromatis and Scytinium aquale. Arthonia granitophila is new to European Russia, and Sclerophora amabilis – for North European Russia. Comments on habitats, substrates, key anatomical features and distribution of new records are provided.

Additions to the lichen flora of the Kerzhensky Nature Reserve and Nizhny Novgorod Region

The results of field studies of the lichen flora of the Kerzhensky Reserve (Nizhny Novgorod Region), carried out mainly in the Kerzhenets River valley in May 2019, are presented. An annotated list of taxa previously unknown for the reserve includes 121 species from 70 genera. Of these, 97 species and 31 genera are new to the Nizhny Novgorod Region. The species Micarea soralifera and Rinodina excrescens are published for the first time for European Russia. We have found some very rare species in European Russia previously known from single records (Agonimia repleta, Bacidina indigens, Gyalideopsis alnicola, Sclerophora amabilis, Stigmidium mycobilimbiae, Telogalla olivieri, and Verrucaria ochrostoma).

New exploration in Koryakia – the lichens of the Cape Goven, Bering Sea coast (Northern Kamchatka, Russia)

The lichen diversity of the Cape Goven within the Koryak State Reserve counts 394 species: 373 lichens, 18 lichenicolous fungi and 3 non-lichenized saprobic fungi related to lichens. Altogether 4 species are new to Russia (Miriquidica pulvinatula, Myriolecis andrewii, Ochrolechia alaskana, Rhizocarpon sublavatum), 1 – to Asiatic Russia (Collemopsidium foveolatum), 29 other species are new to the Russian Far East, 4 – to the northern part of the Far East. Additionally, 51 other species are new to Kamchatka Territory, and 92 more are new to Koryakia. Among the new species to Russia or Russian Far East, 11 are also reported for the first time for Beringia. A total of 500 species of lichens and allied fungi are known from Koryakia now. The richest habitats in Cape Goven are rocky outcrops and tundras; unlike in the earlier explored Parapolsky Dale, shrublands, floodplain stands and bogs play relatively insignificant role in the lichen diversity. The lichens of seashore communities enrich the lichen flora of Cape Goven compared to inland areas. The lichen diversity of Cape Goven is significantly higher than in Parapolsky Dale due to its mountainous landscape and coastal position.