Population status of the protected lichen Lobaria pulmonaria in the Kologriv Forest Nature Reserve (Kostroma region)

Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. is an epiphytic lichen species occurring in various forest types. In many parts of Europe Lobaria pulmonaria was in a steady decline during the last century due to intensified forest management and air pollutions. In boreal forests of the European part of Russia Lobaria pulmonaria is widely spread in forests after cuttings (mainly in aspen and spruce stands), but population dynamics of the lichen in the hemiboreal region is not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the population status of the protected lichen Lobaria pulmonaria in forest ecosystems in the north-east of Kostroma region. We studied two locations in the Kologriv Forest Nature Reserve. The first study area was located in the "Core" of the Reserve, in uneven-aged Picea abies - Tilia cordata forests. Forests in the second study area (the Sekha Site) were mostly fragmented due to clear-cuttings and fires; even-aged mixed coniferous and deciduous stands prevailed. We studied Lobaria pulmonaria populations by the routing method; we described 393 and 218 trees with Lobaria pulmonaria (subpopulations) in the "Core" and in the Sekha Site, respectively (See Fig.1). For each Lobaria pulmonaria finding we described forest type, host tree species and their life stage, as well as the subpopulation type. Lichen subpopulations without soralia and isidia were defined as sterile and subpopulations with fruit bodies (apothecia) as fertile. All other subpopulations were named as "other". Statistical treatment was performed by analyzing contingency tables and chi-square test. We found that Lobaria pulmonaria often occurred in the "Core" of the Reserve on 7 tree species, mostly on Sorbus aucuparia and Tilia cordata. In the second study area Lobaria pulmonaria was found in even-aged spruce and aspen stands on 3 tree species, mostly on Populus tremula (See Table 1). Frequency of sterile and fertile subpopulations was low, but it differed between the study areas. In the "Core" of the Reserve, the proportion of sterile subpopulations was 16.5% and the proportion of fertile subpopulations was 23.4%. In the second area the proportions were 5% and 11.9%, respectively (See Fig. 2). Statistical analysis (See Tables 2-4) showed that in uneven-aged forests located in the "Core" of the Reserve sexual reproduction plays an important role in self-maintenance of Lobaria pulmonaria populations. In even-aged aspen and spruce forests in the second study area Lobaria pulmonaria reproduced mainly by vegetative propagules. Our results show that long-term self-maintenance of Lobaria pulmonaria populations is typical of larger and old stands in the "Core" of the Reserve. These results confirm the data on the preference of old-growth forests by the lichen. Additional data on succession of forest stands should be received for a long-term prognosis of Lobaria pulmonaria population dynamics in even-aged spruce and aspen forests. The article contains 2 Figures, 4 Tables, 29 References.

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