Suitability of lichens to monitor climate change

The lichens are one of the most sensitive organism in nature among the different elements of biodiversity and can be affected more due to climate change. Lichens fulfil their water need from rain, fog and dew present in the atmosphere. The change in atmospheric temperature influence, to a greater extent, the thallus temperature and physiology of lichens which leads to emergence of new ecotype and finally the shift in a species. The impact of climatic factors on lichens ecophysiology, is different from higher plantsis due to the poikilohydric nature. The lichen bioindicator communities have been shown to exhibit correlation with climatic factors of an area. The changes in lichen biomass, frequency, diversity and indicatorcommunity indices, indicate changes in environmental gradients (temperature, humidity and UV radiation). A number of techniques regarding study the environmental and climatic change are available. However, the present correspondence hypothesized about some easy and low cost techniques to monitor climate change utilizing lichens. The overview will also leads to assess patterns of lichens responses with species representation and towards its understanding the current and future changes in climate of an area.

A new species of Megalospora Meyen (lichenised Ascomycetes) from Tasmania

The new species, Megalospora clandestina Kantvilas, is described from the highlands of Tasmania. It is characterised by a sorediate thallus containing pannarin and zeorin, single-spored asci and muriform ascospores, 30–72 x 12–30 μm. A key to the eight species of the genus occurring in Tasmania is presented.

Bibliography to the Indian lichens from the year 2010 onwards

Lichen research in India observed a rapid development in the recent years. Singh and Sinha (2010) in their publication “Indian Lichens: An Annotated Checklist” listed most of the references available untill the book was sent to press. In continuation of the same in this communication we gather a total of 638 research articles, books and Ph.D. thesis published since 2010. The missing publication (if any) in this list as well as new ones would be listed in the last issue of every forthcoming volume of the journal. myresearchjournals

Coenogonium upretianum (Ascomycota: Coenogoniaceae), a new corticolous lichen species from Brazil

Coenogonium upretianum (Ascomycota: Coenogoniaceae), a new corticolous lichen species from Brazil, is described. The new species is characterized by the thallus with isidia, the fleshcoloured apothecia and the ascospores of 15–17 x 3–4 μm.

Lichen Diversity in the Terai Regions of Uttar Pradesh, India

Terai regions of Uttar Pradesh is one of the richest area for lichen diversity in the state represented by 81 species under 37 genera and 23 families. Out of these, 66 species are crustose, 11 foliose, 3 squamulose and 1 leprose. Graphidaceae shows highest generic as well as species diversity with 5 genera and 15 species followed by Ramalinaceae with 2 genera and 10 species. Among the genera Graphis is the largest with 10 species followed by Bacidia with 9 species. Agonimia allobata (Stizenb.) P. James, Anisomeridium aff. ranunculosporum (Coppins and James) Coppins, Coenogonium aciculatum Lücking and Aptroot, and Malmidea bakeri (Vain.) Kalb, Rivas Plata and Lumbsch have been found as new records for India and Arthonia cinnabarina (DC.) Wallr., A. dispersula Nyl., Bacidia medialis (Tuck. ex Nyl.) Zahlbr., Bacidina apiahica (Müll. Arg.) Vezda, Buellia stellulata (Taylor) Mudd, Byssoloma subdiscordans (Nyl.) P. James, Chaenothecopsis savonica (Räsänen) Tibell, Coenogonium dilucidum (Kremp.) Kalb and Lücking, Coenogonium minimum (Müll. Arg.) Lücking, Endocarpon pusillum Hedw., Fellhanera fuscatula (Müll. Arg.) Vëzda, Fellhanera rhapidophylli (Rehm) Vezda, Fellhanera semecarpi (Vain.) Vezda, Fissurina cingalina (Nyl.) Staiger, Graphis caesiella Vain., Graphis filiformis Adaw. and Makhija, Graphis lineola Ach., Graphis petricosa (Kremp.) A.W. Archer, Graphis pyrrhocheliodes Zahlbr., Herpothallon sticticum Jagadeesh and G.P. Sinha, Letrouitia domingensis (Pers.) Hafellner and Bellem., Mazosia phyllosema (Nyl.) Zahlbr., Mycomicrothelia nonensis (Müll. Arg.) D. Hawksw., Mycomicrothelia thelena (Müll. Arg.) D. Hawksw., Phaeographis inusta (Ach.) Müll. Arg., Pyxine consocians Vain., Strigula nitidula Mont. and Thelotrema subtile Tuck. have been found as new records for Uttar Pradesh.

Lichens of Neora Valley National Park

A first assessment on the lichen biodiversity of Neora Valley National Park in the Darjeeling Himalaya has been made. The investigation reveals the occurrence of 157 species in 60 genera and 33 families. Of these 75 are crustose, 62 foliose and 20 fruticose. This includes 15 endemic taxa. Parmeliaceae shows highest generic as well as species diversity with 13 genera and 38 species. Hypotrachyna is the largest genus with 15 species. Fifteen families are represented by 1 species each and twenty nine genera by 1 species each. A key to the families, key to the genera within the families and the species within the genera are provided. All the species have been enumerated along with details of examined specimens.

Molecular phylogeny uncovers an overlooked species in the macrolichen family Parmeliaceae (Ascomycota) from India

Several obligately sexualy reproducing lichen-forming fungal species are disjunctly distributed in pantropical regions. Here, we aim to re-examine species boundaries within the sexually reproducing, disjunctly distributed species, Hypotrachyna intercalanda. We gathered a three-locus DNA sequence data set of Hypotrachyna subgen. Parmelinopsis, especially including the samples from India, and these data were analysed in a phylogenetic framework. Our results show that specimens of H. intercalanda, as currently circumscribed, do not form a monophyletic group but fall into two well-supported independent clades. Morphological and chemical features were re-evaluated. Corroborating with the phenotypic features, the sample recovered in clade 2 occurring in southern India are described as a new species, viz. Hypotrachyna upretii Divakar and A. Crespo sp. nov. Our study adds a further example of a previously overlooked, geographically distinct, lineage that was uncovered using molecular data. Additionally, our study underlines the need of critical reexamination of phenotypic features of samples falling into different clades.

Diversity and Altitudinal Distribution of Understorey Corticolous Lichens in a Tropical Montane Forest in Kenya (East Africa)

Lichens constitute an important component of tropical forest biodiversity. This study inventoried corticolous lichens and examined their variation in various forest types with varying climatic conditions in Mt. Kenya, East Africa. Specifically we evaluated variation of lichen assemblages in relation to forest types and tree diversity along an altitudinal gradient (1800-3100m). Ten study sites were established on two contrasting sides of Mt. Kenya in the indigenous forest: six of them at Chogoria which is on the humid southeastern windward side of the mountain and four sites on the Sirimon side located on the drier northwestern leeward side. Overall 242 lichen taxa were documented; with Chogoria and Sirimon forests having 148 and 94 species that translated to an adequate sampling effort of 74 % and 68 %, respectively. The two contrasting forest types (Chogoria and Sirimon) supported slightly different lichens assemblages. Meanwhile lichen assemblages were found to significantly vary with elevation (or forest types) and with tree host. Posterior analyses showed that the differences were significant among sampling sites (or forest types) on the Chogoria side and insignificant on the Sirimon side. Similarly the number of lichens differed significantly among the host tree species. This study stresses the urgent need to upscale the sustainable management of the presently threatened tropical forests in order to preserve their structural heterogeneity.

Diorygma upretii spec. nov., a poleotolerant lichen in the tropics

The new lichen species Diorygma upretii Sipman (Ascomycota, Graphidaceae) is described. It is a conspicuous crustose lichen on tree trunks in parks of Singapore and Vanuatu, rarely producing ascocarps, with a characteristic, pustular-granular thallus.

New records and an updated key of Pyrenula from India

Pyrenula andina, P. atropurpurea, P. bahiana , P. caracasana, P. macrospora, P. massariospora, P. pseudobufonia , P. subducta, P. subgregantula and P. tristissima are described as new records for Indian lichen flora. An updated key to all Pyrenula species so far known from India is also presented.