Trends of lichen distribution in Barnaul (West Siberia, Russia)

The aim of this work was to update the published data on lichens and to assess trends of lichen distribution in Barnaul. We registered and collected lichens in all plant formations within Barnaul city-line in 2013. All substrates were examined for the presence of lichens; epiphytic lichens were collected from 10 biggest trees of each species found within artificial planting or on 40 x40m plot within native plant formation (a total of 7 native tree species and 18 introduced tree species were examined). We measured lichen species frequency and abundance (projective cover) for epiphytes only (including crustose) on 20x20 cm plots, which had been based on the side with maximal lichen covering on 2 steam levels: near the steam base (up to 0.3 m) and 1.2-1.3 m height. Statistical estimates were assessed with StatSoft STATISTICA for Windows 6.1. Lichen diversity was assessed with Shannon entropy and the measures of inclusion. A total of 151 species of lichens and lichenicolous fungi of 24 families and 58 genera were found within the examined area. Lichen checklist of Barnaul was similar to checklists of other Siberian big cities (up to 80% of similarity). The most of lichen species diversity was found in pine forests and parks and the least lichen species richness and abundance were in artificial planting within living districts. Communities of epiphytic lichens degraded under human impact both in native planting located at a distance from emission sources and in artificial planting near factories and roads. Crustose lichens had the largest percentage in species lists of all plant formations. Fruticose lichens were found in pine forests, mainly. The proportion of mesophytes was maximal in all of localities and the presence of xerophytes depended on artificial substrates within a plant community (mainly concrete or plaster). Deciduous tree bark was the most lichen-covered substrate (up to 84 lichen species) in all studied localities. The most lichen species richness was noted on the bark of the birch (Betula pendula Roth, B. pubescens Ehrh.) and the poplar (Populus balsamifera L.). Lichens on soil (21 species) were found only once within pine forest plot located on a stiff slope of the Barnaulka river normal flood plain terrace (53°18'19.6"N 83°43'13"E). Total of 10 lichen species was found on artificial substrates. Twice these were substrates unusual for lichens: 2 species were investigated on cotton dress material located on soil of the Ob' riverside (53°19'21,6"N 83°48'43"E) and 2 species were found on white-lime covered surface (53°19'29"N 83°47'44,9"E). Epiphytic lichen communities changed under human impact. Parmeliaceae species degraded and were replaced by Physciaceae species. Lichen communities usual for deciduous tree bark with dominating Physcia dubia (Hoffm.) Lettau, Physcia stellaris (L.) Nyl. and codominating Lecania cyrtellina (Nyl.) Sandst, caloplaca cerina (Ehrh. ex Hedw.) Th.Fr., caloplaca holocarpa (Hoffm. ex Ach.) A.E. Wade, candelariella xanthostigma (Ach.) Lettau replaced common for pine lichen communities with dominating Flavopunctelia soredica Hale, Parmelia sulcata Taylor, Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl. and survived on pine stems (Pinus sylvestris L.) in artificial planting. Naetrocymbe punctiformis (Pers.) R.C. Harris was found on pine bark within a single locality in planting along Isakova avenue (53°22'03,6"N 83°40'18,1"E). Lichen species richness and projective cover on a plot had the maximal positive correlations with the height of habitation (from the stem base). The percentage of lichen-free stems had the maximal positive correlation with the traffic of motor vehicles and the maximal negative correlations with the height of carpet plants and dimension of the green zone. Acknowledgments: The reported study was partially supported by the grant RFBR № 14-04-31597-mol_a. The author thanks RE Romanov (the Laboratory of Cryptogamous Plants, Central Siberian Botanical Garden of the SB RAS Novosibirsk, Russia) for assistance in field studies, managers of city parks in Barnaul for permission to collect lichens and researchers of the Laboratory of Lichenology and Bryology (Komarov Botanical Institute of the RAS, Saint Petersburg) for consulting and comments.

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