Message - 7th IAL Symposium

Lichen: from genome to ecosystem in a changing world
4I-O
4I: Lichenological research in South-East Asia and the Pacific region
(4I-O1) Submission ID: IAL0287-00001
THE OCEANEAN LICHEN REALM
Feuerer T. 1
1 Biozentrum, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Based on 280,000 data sets of distributional, morphological, anatomical and chemical data a global
biodiversity analysis is calculated. It produces six units, the Oceanian unit one of it. The pattern of floral realms
differs between lichens and vascular plants, where Oceania has no independent position. The historical and
ecological reasons for the deviation between these groups of organisms are explained. A similarity calculation of
the Oceanean lichen checklist in relation to those of all continents results in e.g. lists of species common to the
respective units and a classification of distributional patterns. The lichens of Hawaii, the most isolated island
group in the world, are investigated with emphasis. An enlarged checklist of the islands based on recent collections
is presented. 120 Hawaiian lichen species have been barcoded. The relation between the Hawaiian
lichen biota and those of North America and Asia is investigated by molecular methods. Their phylogeography
is discussed.
(4I-O2) Submission ID: IAL0255-00001
AN OVERVIEW OF LICHEN DIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
IN WESTERN GHATS, INDIA
Nayaka S. 1 , Upreti D. K. 1
1 Lichenology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
To be precise, till date, 2,358 lichen species are recorded from India. Among eight Lichenogeographical
regions of India Western Ghats (WG) and Himalayas are undoubtedly lichen diversity hotspots. WG stretches
from Tapti Valley in north to the Kanyakumari in the south, and covers as many as six states with dense tropical
moist broadleaf forests. A total of 1,155 lichen taxa belonging to 1,136 species, 19 infraspecific taxa, 193
genera and 54 families are reported so far from the WG. Most of these taxa (745 spp.) are recorded from Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve in Tamil Nadu. The region is dominated by crustose (727 spp.) and corticolous (986 spp.)
lichens. The flora of WG contains a large number of taxa belonging to Graphidaceous (182 spp.), Pyrenocarpous
(175 spp.), Parmelioid (125 spp.), Thelotremataceous (78 spp.) and Arthonioid (72 spp.) lichen communities.
Further, Graphidaceae and Graphis are most dominant family and genus with 182 and 72 species respectively.
Parmeliaceae (173 spp.), Physciaceae (118 spp.) and Thelotremataceae (87 spp.) are the other major families,
while Pyrenula (50 spp.), Parmotrema (45 spp.) and Usnea (41 spp.) are the other important genus. The WG
is represented by 266 endemic taxa and a large proportion of it includes species described in the recent years
(neoendemics). This trend clearly indicates the tremendous opportunity for lichen systematics in the region.
However, the lichen diversity in WG is under threat and over harvesting of economically valued species emerges
as one of the major threat. The lacunae those prevents initiation of conservation measures in WG includes lack of
quantitative data, inadequate ecological information, infrequent of observations, and absence of floras, checklist
and threatened taxa list. Hence, gathering quantitative data at spatial, temporal and taxa levels has become a
prerequisite in lichen conservation, which would help in identifying threatened taxa or vulnerable habitats.
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