Ecology and taxonomy of montane lichen vegetation in the British Isles

Factors influencing lichen distribution, principally climate and geology, are discussed. The extreme oceanicity of the British climate is identified as the most influential factor in the development of a distinctive lichen vegetation in the area. Twenty-four species of lichen are recorded for the first time from the British Isles along with, approximately, 50 unidentified taxa. Draft descriptions are provided for 18 undescribed taxa. Keys are provided to difficult groups and genera, i.e. sterile crustose saxicolous and terricolous lichens, Lecidea, Porpidia, Rimularia and Rhizocarpon subgenus Phaeothallus Lichens having the centre of their British distribution in montane areas are listed and assigned to a montane sub-zone. Using this list, a comparison is made between the lichen vegetation of three oceanic areas of the British Isles. The importance of the saxicolous lichen vegetation of the oceanic mountains of western Scotland is emphasised and shown to be important in its own right rather than a species-poor outlier of the Scandinavian flora. The lichen vegetation of those National Vegetation Classification communities in which lichens form a significant part is described. In general, terricolous macro-lichens are shown to correspond with NVC communities but terricolous micro-lichens and saxicolous species do not and need to be treated separately from NVC. Lichen data from areas of prolonged snow-lie are analysed by TWINSPAN and three un-named, apparently endemic, lichen communities identified. One is restricted to areas of prolonged snow-lie throughout the Scottish Highlands whereas the other two are more widespread in the western mountains but confined to snow-beds in drier, eastern parts of the country. Their composition and affinities are discussed. Grazing animals are shown to have a devastating effect on upland/montane lichen vegetation, although this is less pronounced at higher altitudes. Grazing is shown to have a qualitative, as well as a quantitative, effect

An annotated checklist of lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi reported from the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Peer reviewe

First supplement to the lichen checklist of South Africa

Peer reviewe

Additions to the lichenized fungi biota of North America and Alaska from collections held in the University of Alaska Museum of the North herbarium (ALA)

The data presented here are based on examination of collections made in the 1970â s mainly by Barbara Murray and held in the University of Alaska Museum of the North herbarium, Fairbanks (ALA). Four species, Micarea inquinans, Placynthium garovaglioi, Protoblastenia lilacina and Trimmatothele perquisita are reported for the first time from North America, and 10 species, Clauzadea metzleri, Clauzadeana macula, Ionaspis obtecta, Lambiella gyrizans, Lemmopsis arnoldiana, Placynthium tantaleum, Poeltinula cerebrina, Protoblastenia incrustans, Rimularia gibbosa and Sagiolechia protuberans are reported for the first time from Alaska. Records of nine other species that are uncommon in Alaska are also reported.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

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; 1) documents previously undescribed lichen species and communities within rapidly changing glacier habitats, 2) illustrates the importance of cryptogams (lichens, bryophytes, algae and cyanobacteria) in the primary colonization of recently deglaciated terrain, 3) 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, 4) 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.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Gilbertaria, a first crustose genus in the Sphaerophoraceae (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota) for Catillaria contristans, Toninia squalescens and related species

Lecideoid lichen-forming fungi are a large, heterogeneous group that includes many species described during the nineteenth century that are of unclear taxonomic status. We revise such a group, the species of which have previously been treated under the much-misunderstood names Catillaria contristans or Toninia squalescens, and use a seven-locus phylogeny to determine its phylogenetic position. We found strong support for a previously unrecognized monophyletic lineage within the Sphaerophoraceae, comprising five phylogenetic species, and describe the new genus Gilbertaria to accommodate them. The new genus is characterized by a crustose growth form, 1-septate ascospores, thick ((1.5-)2-3(-4) mu m wide) paraphyses and asci of the Biatora-type. We revise the nomenclature and give new delimitations and descriptions of the Northern Hemisphere species Gilbertaria contristans comb. nov., G. holomeloides comb. nov., G. squalescens comb. nov. and describe the new species G. astrapeana from the Falkland Islands

New taxa, reports, and names of lichenized and lichenicolous fungi, mainly from the Scottish Highlands

Abstract: The new taxa Cliostomum subtenerum, Dactylospora suburceolata, Fuscidea oceanica, Lecania granulata, Lecidea herteliana, and Ropalospora lugubris f. sorediata are described from collections made from Scotland and Wales. Outside the British Isles, D. suburceolata is also known from Switzerland, L. herteliana from NE North America and R. lugubris f. sorediata from Sweden and NE North America. In addition, Lecidea luteoatra Nyl. belongs to the Lecanora marginata group and the name Lecanora viridiatra (Stenh.) Nyl. is taken up for this species, Peterjamesia sorediata is transferred to Roccellographa, and Ropalospora atroumbrina is included in the synonymy of R. lugubris f. sorediata