The spatial pattern of lichen species richness was analyzed in a forest ecosystem impacted for 50 years by industrial emissions from a steelworks. Geostatistical tools were used to characterize the spatial pattern of the number of lichen species and multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing it. Spatial analysis showed high variation of lichen species richness on a local scale, caused by patchiness of natural habitat factors (species composition of trees, their age, shade, etc.). On a large spatial scale, species richness differentiated the western from the eastern part of the forest. The western part, closer to the sources of pollution, had fewer species (average 6-10 per locality) than the eastern part (10-15 per locality). Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between the species richness of lichens and several environmental variables: input of ions with bulk precipitation (SO 4 2 , NO 3 , Cl , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Fe 3+ , Zn 3+ , Pb 2+ , Cd 2+ ), distance to forest edge, tree stand age, and number of species per locality. Regression analysis was preceded by factor analysis for the input of ions to obtain uncorrelated variables. Regression explained 53% of the variation of lichen species richness. Highly significant predictor variables were the factor connected with the input of pollutants (Fe 3+ , Zn 2+ ) emitted by the steelworks (negative effect) and the number of trees per locality (positive effect). Species richness was also affected by the age structure of the tree stand; more species were recorded in old forests.

Bielczyk U., Jędrzejczyk-korycińska M., kiszka J. : Lichens of abandoned zinc-lead mines. acta Mycol. 44 (2): 139-149, 2009. a list of lichens from areas of zinc-lead ores in southern Poland and a review of the characteristic lichen biota of these sites is provided. in spite of the devastated and heavy metal contaminated environment, a highly diverse epigeic and epilithic lichen biota was found, including species characteristic of various anthropogenic habitats, particularly zinc and lead enriched substrates (Diploschistes muscorum, Steinia geophana, Sarcosagium campestre, Vezdaea aestivalis and V. leprosa). also, the high-mountain species Leucocarpia biatorella, as well as very rare in europe Thelocarpon imperceptum, and several species categorized as very rare, endangered and protected in Poland were recorded. crustose lichens are the most abundant; among fruticose forms Cladonia spp. predominate and Stereocaulon incrustatum is common.

The thirth regional list of threatened and allied fungi is presented. The list is a result of investigation studies in Opole Silesia and Upper Silesia in S Poland. The status of threat to the lichen and allied fungi species used has been determined according to the IUCN Red List Categories in version 3. l (2001). The data obtained were compared with historical ones. While assigning given lichen species to suitable categories of threat the geographic criterium of their occurrence ranges was accepted because most source data from the study area concerns the distribution and frequency of species. The Red List includes 536 taxa of lichens, lichenicolous and saprobic fungi, which constitute 72.9% of the local biota and 33.5% of Polish biota. The status of threatened biota has the following catego¬ries: Regionally Extinct (RE) - 80 taxa, Critically Endangered (CR) - 61, Endangered (EN) - 95, Vulnerable (VU) - 90, Near Threatened (NT) - 71, Least Concern (LC) - 22 and Data Deficient (DD) -117. The lichen biota of this region of Poland has been most human impacted.

In the neighbourhood of Kraków <i>Usnea comosa, U. dasypoga, U. hirta</i> occur. These species presently grow in the south-east part of the Niepołomice Forest only, which is situnled east of Kraków. In the years 1959-1960 the lichens appeared in the whole of the Forest. The author has confirmed that the <i>Usnea</i> species have died out in the western and northern parts of the Niepołomice Forest. The main reason for this is the increasing air pollution in Kraków - caused by the Lenin Metallurgical Works.