Message - 7th IAL Symposium

Lichen: from genome to ecosystem in a changing world
4I-O
(4I-O5) Submission ID: IAL0235-00001
LICHEN STUDIES IN THE CORDILLERA REGION NORTHERN PHILIPPINES - PAST,
PRESENT AND FUTURE
Bawingan P. A. 1 , Lardizaval M. 1
1 Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Philippines
Philippine lichenology started in the 18 th century when European scientists joined expeditions to the
country. Meyer, Charles Gaudichard–Beaupre, Moseley, Schadenberg, and Warburg were among those who
did extensive collections of lichens in the Philippines at that time. The Americans came in the early 20 th century;
E.D Merrill led collections from almost every part of the country. More foreign scientists came including Herre,
Degelius, and Hale. Only one of the Filipino botanists, Dr. William Gruezo, did serious study on lichens in the
1970’s. His collections in Luzon including Benguet and Ifugao in the Cordillera Region northern Philippines resulted
to new species and new records. In 1987, Andre Aptroot and Harrie collected in Baguio and Benguet that
further gave new species and new records of Philippine lichens. In 1999, we started our own taxonomic study
of lichens in the Cordillera Region. Presently, we have identified 130 species belonging to 37 genera distributed
in 15 families in the Region. With the help of Dr. John Elix, Dr. Harrie Sipman, and Dr. Thorsten Lumbsch, our
efforts resulted to new species and new records as well. We have also conducted studies on the use of lichens
as indicators of environmental conditions. Our assessment of the atmospheric condition of four favorite parks
of Baguio City, a prime city of the Region using epiphytic lichens as bioindicators has shown that the number of
pollution tolerant species and pollution sensitive species vary significantly among them. Our study on sulfur dioxide
pollution along a major road in the city also showed that the lichens, mosses, and leaves of vascular plants
have no significant difference in the concentration of SO 2 accumulated within their tissues. Our lichen taxonomic
study is on-going; we are also conducting biological assay of their active components and evaluating their use
as bioindicator. Results we hope will support our conservation campaign for these organisms.
(4I-O6) Submission ID: IAL0008-00001
STUDY OF MACROLICHEN DIVERSITY BETWEEN EUCALYPTUS, PINUS, AND ALTINGIA
TREES AT CIBODAS BOTANICAL GARDEN, WEST JAVA
Zulfikar R. 1 , Sedayu A. 2 , Arif A. 2
1 Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, West Java, Bogor, Indonesia
2 Biology, State University of Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia
Diversity of macrolichens on the barks of Eucalyptus, Pinus, and Altingia trees in Cibodas Botanical
Garden was studied during November 2006 until April 2007. There were 28 species of macrolichens found on
Eucalyptus trees (H = 3.63), followed by 22 species on Altingia (H = 3.4) and 17 species on Pinus (H = 3.09).
Usnea spp., Rimelia sp., and Parmelinella wallichiana were the most abundant on Eucalyptus. Heterodermia
japonica, P. wallichiana, Physcia sp., and Pseudocyphellaria aurata occurred only on Eucalpytus. Usnea sp.,
Parmotrema sp., and Parmelia sp. were the most abundant on Altingia. We found Lobaria isidiosa, Lobaria sp.,
Peltigera sp., and some Parmeliaceae that were only existed on Altingia trees. Pinus trees had Cladonia sp.,
Usnea sp. and Parmelia sp. as it top three. Note that Everniastrum vexans, Leprocaulon sp., and Relicina sp.
only found on Pinus. There was no difference in term of Shanon wiener diversity index of stratum A (0 – 50 cm
above ground), B (100 – 150 cm above ground), and C (200 – 250 cm above ground) on the barks of Eucalyptus
and Pinus, but there was a difference in it on Altingia. Usnea sp., Cladonia sp., Coccocarpia palmicola, and Parmotrema
sp. were the species that found on every host tree, while Lobaria sp., Relicina sp., and Heterodermia
japonica, were the examples of species which might have substrate preference. The difference of bark texture
might be one of the factors which affect the difference of macrolichen community consisting on each tree. Eucalyptus
has the peeling bark, but mostly the peeling started from the top of the trunk. The large diameters of
Altingia allowed foliose lichens grow with big thallus upon it. But, the rough and deeply fissured bark of Pinus
limited the growth of macrolichens with big thallus.
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