A review of the diversity of lichens and what factors affect their distribution in the neotropics

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to review published literature on the diversity of lichens and the factors that affect its distribution in the neotropics. The systematic method was used to research works of literature on “Diversity of lichens and what factors affect their distribution in the neotropics.” A total of forty-nine research papers published between the years 1996 to 2021 was selected and utilized for this review. The results obtained was presented in tables. A subjective approach was then used to select the subtopics: lichens and their impact- benefits and importance. In this paper, twelve (12) neotropical countries were evaluated and a grand total of four hundred twenty-seven (427) lichens species of lichens from fifty-eight (58) lichen families were presented. Lichen distribution and habitats, diversity of lichens and factors that affect the distribution of lichens in the neotropics were also discussed. The published papers established that lichens have a rich diversity globally, they have many benefits and importance, they are widely distributed across the landscape and are found in a wide range of habitats. Many abiotic factors such as temperature, pH, humidity, moisture, latitude, topography, light availability and anthropogenic activities by human beings e.g., pollution and deforestation play a heavy influence on lichens and their distribution in the neotropics as well as globally. More studies should be done in the neotropics since data is limited and in demand.

An integrative review of the biology and chemistry of lichens and their ecological, ethnopharmacological, pharmaceutical and therapeutic potential

“…Lichens are slow-growing organisms that can endure extreme climatic changes for hundreds of years [19], [99]. Theophrastus, the Father of Botany, popularized the term "lichen" for a class of plants in the scientific community around 300 BC [19], [120], [121]. There are between fifteen to twenty thousand (15,000-20,000) species of lichens in the world.…”

“…There are between fifteen to twenty thousand (15,000-20,000) species of lichens in the world. According to Peterson and Ikeda (2017), Grimm et al (2017) and Bhagarathi et al 2022, many of them are specialized to particular habitats and seldom across the landscapes.…”

“…Over time, lichens have been variously categorized as a single organism, gradually mistaken for bryophytes (mosses), or for seaweeds due to previous descriptions based on their outward appearance. The complex anatomy of lichens was only discovered and documented by scientists after the invention and use of microscopes in the early 1800s [19], [62], [116], [186], [187].…”

“…Lichens are thought to be complex living organisms that are created through symbiotic relationships between a fungus and an alga or cyanobacteria [19], [118], [175], [176], [204]. The mycobiont is a heterotrophic fungus that forms the main body of the lichen and is thought to be the dominant partner that gives the lichen its distinctive features, including the shape of its thallus and the type of fruiting body.…”

“…The mycobiont is a heterotrophic fungus that forms the main body of the lichen and is thought to be the dominant partner that gives the lichen its distinctive features, including the shape of its thallus and the type of fruiting body. The photobiont, which is typically found between the upper and lower fungal cortex, is an autotrophic algae or cyanobacterium [19], [62], [97], [116], [175], [186], [187], [191], [204].…”