FUNGI AND LICHENS IN THE BALTICS AND BEYOND XVIII ...
FUNGI AND LICHENS IN THE BALTICS AND BEYOND XVIII ...
FUNGI AND LICHENS IN THE BALTICS AND BEYOND XVIII ...
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forests (Abies nephrolepis) and mixed forests (Picea spp., Pinus koraiénsis, Abies<br />
nephrolepis, Acer spp., Betula spp.) were investigated. The lichen flora of Primorye Region is<br />
exceptionally rich and diverse not only in old-growth and pristine forests, but in disturbed and<br />
secondary communities as well. Some species like Usnea longissima that we are used to treat<br />
as very good indicators in other regions loose here their indicator value. Due to these reasons,<br />
it is not so easy to select the most sensitive and threatened core of the flora. On the current<br />
stage of investigations it is possible to propose only preliminary list of the main indicator<br />
species.<br />
<strong>LICHENS</strong> <strong>IN</strong> A CHRONOSEQUENCE OF 16-236 YEAR-OLD KELO TREES<br />
P. LÕHMUS 1* , A. LÕHMUS 1 , J. KOUKI 2<br />
1 Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise st. 46,<br />
EE-51014, Tartu, Estonia<br />
2<br />
School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu,<br />
Finland<br />
*E-mail: piret.lohmus@ut.ee<br />
Standing (debarked) dead trees support diverse and unique lichen communities in<br />
boreal forests. At the trunk scale, tree species, wood exposure and decay stage are known to<br />
have key importance for lichen richness and composition, but the role of exposure time has<br />
not been explored. We used a unique study system of 25 dendrochronologically dated kelo<br />
trees (slowly decaying standing pines) in Hietavaara primeval forest, East-Finland, which<br />
spanned over 16–236 years since their death. The abundance of lichenized and allied fungi<br />
was investigated at every 0.5-m section of each trunk, from the base up to 3.5 m, and some<br />
additional characteristics of each kelo were described<br />
In total, 88 species were found. That exceeds considerably the known richness<br />
numbers found in comparable studies. The time since kelo death was not related to lichen<br />
species richness (multiple regression) or their species composition (MRPP test). However, the<br />
kelos that had died at a younger age and were more decayed by now had more species. The<br />
variation in lichen community composition was best explained by the average decay stage and<br />
the proportion of exposed wood. Comparisons of the species composition along the height<br />
sections provided support to the prevailing practice to sample lichens up to 2 m heights in<br />
dead trees (sections >1.5 m did not add specific species).<br />
We conclude that the main “time frame” for the dispersal and establishment of woodinhabiting<br />
lichens is restricted to a few decades. In the long term, lichen communities appear<br />
to be most affected by the direct microhabitat characteristics, and their development, both<br />
during the life and after the death of the trees.