Cyanobacteria and Cyanobacterial Lichens from Inselbergs of the Ivory Coast,Africa

This study focuses on the saxicolous lichens and cyanobacteria of the open, exposed rock surface of inselbergs. Twenty-three species of cyanobacteria and 17 cyanobacterial lichen species (“cyanolichens”) from several inselbergs and other rocky outcrops of three major climatic regions, savanna, transition zone and rain forest, are reported from the Ivory Coast. Inselbergs are isolated and frequently mountains consisting of Precambrian granites or gneisses that abruptly rise from the surrounding plains. Cyanobacteria were found to be the dominating organisms on all rock surfaces. The lichens found mainly belong to the family Peltulaceae and a few were present from the family Lichinaceae. Nine species of the cyanolichens and most of the cyanobacteria are new for the Ivory Coast. A gradient in total species number (cyanolichens and cyanobacteria) occurs from the savanna to the rain forest, with a decrease in species number towards the rain forest. Saxicolous cyanobacterial lichens reached a higher species number in the savanna type ecosystem (11) than on inselbergs in the rain forest (7). The cyanolichens and cyanobacteria found are characteristic for larger, light-exposed rock surfaces and species like P. congregate, P. lingulata, P. tortuosa and P. umbilicata preferentially occur on the granite or sandstone of inselbergs.     

新疆石人沟山区岩面生地衣群落分布格局的环境解释

地衣作为真菌和绿藻/蓝绿藻的成功共生体,广泛分布在陆地生态中的各种栖息地。岩面生地衣作为陆地生态系统的主要组成部分,在干旱和半干旱地区陆地食物链中具有重要地位,同时对岩石的生物腐蚀和土壤的形成有重要作用。岩面生地衣的多样性和分布格局强烈地受到海拔、湿度、温度、降水量、太阳辐射强度和基物的特征(岩石类型、岩石大小、岩石的化学成分和营养成分)等多种因素的影响。为了研究乌鲁木齐县石人沟山区岩面生地衣群落与基物间的关系,该研究在乌鲁木齐县石人沟山区设立16个样地,计测样地中岩面生地衣的盖度,包括坡度、坡向、光照强度等7个环境因子,采用典范对应分析法(CCA)对各群落的物种分布格局与环境因子的关系进行了探讨。结果表明:石人沟山区的岩面生地衣共有27种,隶属于7目9科15属。其中,黄枝衣目、茶渍目和鸡皮衣目的种类较多,占该地区岩面生地衣总数的74.07%。CCA排序结果显示坡度、坡向、光照强度、湿度、岩石pH值是5个影响岩面生地衣种类分布格局的主要环境因子,并显示了岩面生地衣与样地间的对应性。     

Two new sorediate species of lichens in the Catillariaceae from the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract:Two new species of lichens are described from the Iberian Peninsula. Halecania giraltiae is the first sorediate saxicolous species known in the genus and has been collected growing on lichens and sometimes directly on rock in localities from northern Portugal to central Spain. Catillaria fungoides, a sorediate, corticolous representative of the C. nigroclavata group, is known from southern Portugal and northern Spain.     

Cyanobacteria of Rocks and Soils of the Orinoco Lowlands and the Guayana Uplands,Venezuela

The occurrence of 23 cyanobacterial species, belonging to 9 different genera and 5 cyanobacterial lichen species of 5 different genera on exposed, open rock surfaces of inselbergs and on soil in savannas of the Orinoco lowlands and the Guayana uplands is described. Their distribution patterns and frequency within the different habitats are given. The filamentous procaryotic blue-green algae/cyanobacteria Stigonema ocellatum and Scytonema crassum, together with the unicellular cyanobacterium Gloeocapsa sanguinea were the most frequent species on rocks, whereas the filamentous cyanobacterium, Schizothrix telephoroides, dominated in cyanobacterial mats on the savanna soil. All species showed intensively coloured sheaths, either brown or yellow in the case of Stigonema ocellatum and Scytonema crassum, or red in Gloeocapsa sanguinea and Schizothrix telephoroides. In addition, a number of cyanobacterial lichens occurred.     

Rinodina canariensis (lichenized Ascomycetes, Physciaceae), a new species parasitic on crustose lichens in Macaronesia and the Mediterranean region

A new species, Rinodina canariensis (lichenized Ascomycetes, Physciaceae), is described. It usually grows parasitically on saxicolous crustose lichens in Macaronesia and in the Mediterranean region. It is well characterized chemically by the presence of gyrophoric acid. The characters of the new species are compared with those of other taxa of the genus Rinodina containing gyrophoric acid. Rinodina alba and R. atrocinerea are reported from the island of Madeira for the first time. A short survey of lichen-parasitic species of Rinodina is given.     

Global warming and alternative causes of decline in arctic-alpine and boreal-montane lichens in North-Western Central Europe

Lichens are thought to be sensitive indicators of global warming, as the spread of several thermophilous epiphytes in north-western Central Europe has been attributed to late 20th century warming. In the present paper, the potential contribution of late 20th century warming to the decline of arctic-alpine and boreal-montane lichen species is analyzed. Relevant ecological groups of lichens include terricolous heathland species, saxicolous species of exposed rock outcrops and boulder fields as well as epiphytes of mountain forests. These three groups of lichens experienced significant declines before the onset of late 20th century warming in the 1970s. These declines can be attributed to the abandonment of traditional land use systems in the case of the heathland lichens, increased recreational use of the exposed summits usually inhabited by cold-tolerant saxicolous lichens, and to high atmospheric SO₂ levels in the mid-20th century, but are probably not directly connected to global warming.     

Thyrea porphyrella,a new species of the Lichinaceae from inselbergs in tropical South America

Abstract:The new species Thyrea porphyrella Schultz, Büdel & Porembski, in theLichinaceae , is described from tropical South America. It grows on granite inselbergs in SE Brazil and in southern Guyana. Diagnostic characters are the very thin, superficially smooth but conspicuously uneven to folded thallus lobes of reddish-brown to crimson colour.     

物种和基物偏好对河北太行山区六种地衣的元素含量的影响

为了解物种和基物偏好对地衣元素水平的影响,测定了采集于河北太行山区6个地点的6种地衣体内的16种元素（Al、Ba、Cd、Cr、Cu、Fe、Mn、Mo、Na、P、S、Sc、Sr、Ti、V和Zn）的含量。这6种地衣包括3种石生地衣（鸡冠胶衣Collema cristatum、中国石黄衣Xanthoria mandschurica和淡腹黄梅Xanthoparmelia mexicana）,2种土生地衣（莲座石蕊Cladonia pocillum和石果衣Endocarpon pusillum）,及1种树生地衣（毛边黑蜈蚣衣Phaeophyscia hispidula）。主成分分析（PCA）和费里德曼双向秩方差分析（Friedman检验）结果显示,物种和基物偏好对地衣体内元素含量的影响显著,而地点的影响不显著。树生地衣累积的大气源元素（P、S和Zn）高于土生和石生地衣。土生地衣体内的地壳源元素（Al、Ba、Fe、Mn、Mo、Na、Sc、Sr、Ti和V）和大气源元素Cr的含量最高。石生地衣的大气源元素（P、S和Zn）含量近于土生地衣,但地壳源元素含量较低;3种石生地衣在这些元素的含量方面差异不大。这些结果表明以地衣化学组成监测大气元素沉降的研究需慎重考虑物种及基物偏好的影响。     

Diversity of Saxicolous Lichens along an Aridity Gradient in Central México

Lichens are symbiotic organisms that comprise a fungus and a photosynthetic partner wich are recognized as a good indicator of climate change. However, our understanding of how aridity affects the diversity of saxicolous lichens in drylands is still limited. To evaluate the relationship between saxicolous lichen diversity and aridity in a central México dryland, a geographical transect was established of 100 km to build an aridity gradient in the semiarid zone of the State of Querétaro, Mexico, comprising ten sampling sites with a 10 km separation. Species richness, abundance and diversity of soil lichen species were recorded using two sampling methods: the quadrat-intercept and the line-intercept method, to compare their performance in assessing soil lichen diversity in drylands. The number of species and Shannon diversity of saxicolous lichens were higher at intermediate values of the aridity index (AI = 0.10–0.34). Quadrat intercept and point intercept methods gave quite similar results, which means that the selected method does not influence the results in a significant way. This study confirms the role of saxicolous lichens as climate change indicators and reveals the importance of the sampling method selection in the evaluation of different parameters of soil lichen diversity in drylands.     

微生境对耐旱石生毛尖紫萼藓水分保持与散失特性的影响

毛尖紫萼藓(Grimmia pilifera)是典型石生耐旱藓类,水分是其生存繁衍的关键影响因素。为探究微生境对毛尖紫萼藓水分生理的影响,在安徽省大龙山国家森林公园低山丘陵区选择3种典型微生境(竹林遮蔽S-1,向阳裸岩E,薜荔灌丛遮蔽S-2),对比研究毛尖紫萼藓个体大小、饱和含水量及脱水过程中的含水量指标在不同微生境间的差异性,综合判断微生境对苔藓水分胁迫耐受性的影响及其权衡特征。结果表明:3种微生境毛尖紫萼藓个体大小及饱和含水量差异显著,其中竹林遮蔽生境毛尖紫萼藓具有较小的个体但拥有较高的内、外含水量。向阳裸岩和薜荔灌丛遮蔽生境植株大小及外吸水量接近,但前者内含水量更高。两荫蔽生境苔藓外吸水量是内吸水量的7倍,显著高于向阳裸岩生境的5.8倍。脱水过程中相同时间点向阳裸岩生境苔藓各含水量指标均高于两遮蔽生境,且达到相同含水量的时间差也随脱水进程持续而逐渐增大,这为向阳裸岩生境苔藓的有效光合作用(即相对含水量不低于35%时)及脱水后期的生理和结构调整赢得更多时间。综合而言,向阳裸岩生境毛尖紫萼藓比荫蔽生境具有更强的脱水耐受性,但后者可以通过增加外部吸水量来弥补失水过快的缺陷,这可能是不同微生境毛尖紫萼藓对水分吸收和保持的权衡策略。     

Polymorphic microsatellites for the study of fragmented populations of Pitcairnia geyskesii L. B. Smith (Bromeliaceae), a specific saxicolous species of inselbergs in French Guiana

Pitcairnia geyskesii is a saxicolous bromeliad endemic to the granitic inselbergs of French Guiana and Surinam. Seven polymorphic microsatellite markers were characterized to investigate the polymorphism among individuals sampled on five inselbergs in French Guiana. The total number of alleles per locus varied from four to 14. Mean observed heterozygosities at each microsatellite locus ranged from 0.114 to 0.629. This set of microsatellites offers an efficient tool for more detailed investigations on the genetic structure of fragmented populations living on such a singular and insular habitat within tropical rainforest.     

乌鲁木齐南部山区岩面生地衣群落特征的研究

应用多元分析中的主分量分析及聚类分析方法对分布在乌鲁木齐南部山区森林生态系统中岩面生地衣群落进行数量分类并对群落结构物种多样性、相似性和均匀度等群落参数进行了比较系统的研究。结果表明,乌鲁木齐南部山区的岩面生地衣共计49种,隶属于4目13科23属,岩面生地衣形成3种群落:(1)湿润石生地衣群落(Hygro-lichen community)定名为疣微孢衣Acarospora verruculosa+粉盘平茶渍A.alphaplaca+斑纹网衣Lecidea tessellata群落;(2)干燥石生地衣群落(Xero-lichen community)定名为多形茶渍Lecanora polytropa+破小网衣Lecideacarpathica群落;(3)高山石生地衣群落(Alpino-lichen community)定名为不等瓶口衣Verrucaria iaequalis+皮果衣Dermatocarpon miniatum群落。同时发现在乌鲁木齐南部山区森林生态系统中岩面生地衣群落的分布与海拔高度和基物的种类有密切的关系,不同海拔的不同类型的森林生态系统中分布着不同种类的岩面生地衣。     

新疆博格达山岩面生地衣群落结构特征

根据对新疆博格达山岩面生地衣群落20个样点(20m×20m)调查的数据,以各地衣种的盖度为指标结合双向指示种分析方法(TWINSPAN)和除趋势对应分析法(DCA)对博格达山岩面生地衣群落进行数量分类并分析了群落结构特征及其多样性和相似性。采用典范对应分析法(CCA)对各群落的物种分布格局与环境因子的关系进行研究。结果表明,TWINSPAN分析和DCA排序将分布在博格达山的37种岩面生地衣分为以下5个群丛。群丛1:斑纹网衣(Lecidea tessellate Florke)+粉芽盾衣(Peltula euploca(Ach.)Poelt)+杜瑞氏黄梅(Xanthoparmelia durietzii Hale)群丛,有25个种,总覆盖度为30.145%,多样性为4.025;群丛2:袋衣(Hypogymnia physodes(L.)Nyl.)+白边平茶渍(Aspicilia sublaqueata(H.Magn.)J.C.Wei)+砖孢胶衣(Collema subconveniens Nyl.)群丛,有17个种,地衣总盖度为15.885%,多样性为3.196;群丛3:聚茶渍(Lecanora accumulate H.Magn.)+丽石黄衣(Xanthoria elegans(Link)Th.Fr.)+亚洲平茶渍(Aspicilia asiatica(H.Magn.)Yoshim.)群丛,有30个种,地衣总盖度为37.87%,多样性为4.357;群丛4:中华石果衣(Endocarpon sinense H.Magn.)+伴藓大孢蜈蚣衣(Physconia muscigena(Ach.)Poelt.)+垫脐鳞衣(Rhizoplaca melanophthalma(DC.)LeuckertPoelt)群丛,有24个种,地衣总盖度为30.458%,多样性为3.912;群丛5:石胶衣(Collema flaccidum(Ach.)Ach.)+短绒皮果衣(Dermatocarpon vellereum Zschacke)+绿黑地图衣(Rhizocarpon viridiatrum(Wulfen)Korber.)群丛,有18个种,地衣总盖度为19.331%,多样性为3.515。CCA排序结果反映,该地区岩面生地衣的分布与海拔高度、光照强度、岩石pH和人为干扰有关,其中影响最大的因素是海拔高度,其次为光照强度和干扰。坡向和岩石大小对地衣种类分布的影响不显著。     

Microhabitats and Chemical Microenvironments under Saxicolous Lichens Growing on Granite

Lasallia hispanica, Parmelia omphalodes, and Cornicularia normoerica, saxicolous thalli growing on granite, show a close relationship with other lichens and microorganisms living in the lithic substrate beneath them. The lithobiontic community is an accumulation of microorganisms at an interface forming a biofilm, which interacts with the lithic substrate both geophysically and geochemically. Because of their fruticose and foliose morphology, the saxicolous species examined here are mainly involved in geophysical processes, but in the proximity of their attachment structures, geochemical processes may also be observed. On the other hand, fungi, algae and cyanobacteria forming crustose lichens, as well as free-living lithobiontic microorganisms, are known to show combined geophysical and geochemical action, mainly on laminar minerals. The substrate zone where the saxicolous lichens are attached is most affected by weathering reactions and shows the highest co-occurrence of lithobiontic microorganisms. The physical and chemical properties of the substrate, along with lichen and microorganism activity, determine different microenvironments and microhabitats. The ecological functioning of these lithobiontic communities is not yet fully understood, and research efforts similar to the present are needed to confirm that their development is influenced by interrelations between different community members and the substrate, as suggested here.     

Biodiversity and vegetation of small-sized inselbergs in a West African rain forest (Taı, Ivory Coast)

The vegetation of small granitic rock outcrops (geomorphologically small-sized inselbergs) which do not reach the canopy was studied in the Taı rain forest (southwestern Ivory Coast) under aspects of species diversity and phytogeographical affinities. Rock outcrops form edaphically arid (due to absent or very sparse soil cover) and microclimatologically xeric (i.e. low air humidity, temperature regularly exceeding 50°C) islands with cryptogamic crusts, succulents and poikilohydric vascular plants as characteristic elements of their vegetation which differs totally from the surrounding forest. Altogether sixty-six species of vascular plants out of twenty-nine families occur, the number of species correlates positively with inselberg size. Compared with large inselbergs the microclimatic attributes of small-sized rock outcrops are less pronounced. This is accompanied by a decrease of typical inselberg taxa (i.e. species mainly occurring on inselbergs). Low beta diversity between inselbergs indicates deterministic influences as important regulators of species composition. Annual Poaceae and Cyperaceae are richly represented. It can be hypothesized that inselbergs may represent natural growing sites of widely distributed tropical weeds today. Inselbergs might provide habitat resources for savanna elements in rain forest zones.     

Caloplaca awasthii, a new lichen species from India

The warm, dry climate in central India provides suitable conditions for the growth of many crustose lichens, including Caloplaca species. A new species, Caloplaca awasthii Joshi, Y. & Upreti, is described from this region, where it is found growing in rocky areas of Madhya Pradesh (Bedinagar Hills and Bhimbetka) and Rajasthan (Mount Abu). The new taxon belongs to the section Gasparrinia and is characterized by the presence of blastidia, but lacks apothecia and pycnidia. It is a saxicolous species and is similar to C. decipiens (Arnold) Blomb. & Fross., but differs in having blastidia instead of soredia which are present in C. decipiens. Another closely related species, C. fuerteventurae van den Boom & Etayo, belonging to the C. flavescens complex, differs from the new taxon in having numerous apothecia and citriform spores.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 149–152.     

Diversity and ecology of saxicolous vegetation mats on inselbergs in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest

Inselbergs occur as mostly dome-shaped rock outcrops in all climatic and vegetational zones of the tropics. Consisting of Precambrian granites and gneisses, they form ancient and stable landscape elements. Due to harsh edaphic and microclimatic conditions, the vegetation of inselbergs differs markedly from those of the surroundings. Monocotyledonous mats form one of the most characteristic communities of this ecosystem. The floristic composition of this community was studied on six inselbergs located in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. Dominating are Bromeliaceae ( Alcantarea , Encholirium ), Velloziaceae ( Vellozia ), Cactaceae ( Coleocephalocereus ) and the Cyperaceae Trilepis . The alpha diversity of the mats was relatively uniform among the six outcrops. However, beta diversity varied considerably between the different sites. Beta diversity was highest at the most speciose locality indicating a high degree of stochasticity in colonization. In contrast to the low diversity mats on West African inselbergs, the Brazilian rock outcrops bear a floristically more diverse mat community rich in endemics. Thus the edaphically controlled inselberg vegetation reflects the outstanding diversity of the Mata Atlaântica. Possibly the high species richness of mats on East Brazilian inselbergs is a consequence of a large species-pool. The processes that regulate regional and local diversity in the Mata Atlaântica are not fully clear. It is assumed that historical (i.e. long-term stability) and biotic (i.e. evolutionary interchange of taxa between canopies and rock outcrops followed by differentiation of local populations) conditions have promoted high rates of speciation and their coexistence in isolated habitats. A danger to the unique vegetation of East Brazilian inselbergs is the establishment of invasive weeds.     

Further evidence that activation of net photosynthesis by dry cyanobacterial lichens requires liquid water

Abstract: In contrast to green algal lichens, cyanobacterial species of different families, growth forms and habitats proved to be unable to attain positive net CO₂ assimilation when the dry thalli were treated with air of high relative humidity; they needed liquid water for the reactivation of their photosynthetic apparatus. Identical behaviour is shown by all of the 47 lichen species with cyanobacterial photobionts, from six different genera, studied so far. This suggests a widely distributed, if not general, characteristic of cyanobacterial lichens. The difference in performance between both groups of photobionts was maintained when the lichen thallus was macerated. Furthermore, cultures of Chroococcidiopsis were unable to make use of water vapour hydration for positive net photosynthesis, and were similar in this respect to some free-living aerophilic cyanohacteria tested earlier. Possible physiological implications as well as ecological consequences for water-relation-dependent habitat selection of green-algal and cyanobacterial lichens are discussed.     

贵阳地区碳酸盐岩表生地衣调查初报

对贵阳地区碳酸盐岩表生地衣资源进行初步调查,鉴定出4科,4属,共计7个种。其中两个是中国新记录种,即:蓝藻橙衣和石灰瓶口衣。瓶口衣属、黄烛衣属、凹盘衣属以及该文所描述的7个种都是贵州首次报道。对壳状地衣体在碳酸盐岩风化过程中的作用进行了初步分析。     

Ecology and Distribution of Melastomataceae in African Rain Forest Inselbergs1

The ecology and distribution of thirty‐seven Melastomataceae species found on 29 inselbergs in the rain forest of Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Cameroon are described. The relative contributions of climatic determinism, and stochastic and historical processes to the present distribution of the species amongst the study sites are investigated. Inselbergs are rock outcrops enduring very harsh edaphic and microclimatic conditions, forming “xeric islands” in the rain forest, where natural grasslands develop. For each Melastomataceae species, the habitats where they were collected on the inselbergs and in other biotopes were listed, and their phytogeographical distribution was established. Three species are restricted to rock outcrops. Most species are distributed inside the Guineo‐Congolian Region. Three species have disjunct distributions on rain forest inselbergs and have their main distribution area outside the forested zone. The distribution of the species amongst the inselbergs is correlated to the altitude and the annual rainfall of the sites, and to inselberg geographical location. This correlation of the species distribution with the geographical location of the inselberg is attributed to the spatial autocorrelation of environmental variables and to the combined effects of the history of past vegetation changes due to climatic fluctuations and dispersal limitation.