Contribution of lichens in the formation of biological soil crusts in the steppes of the Khangai upland (Mongolia)

Abstract

Biological soil crusts in the biogeocenoses of the dry steppes of the Khangai upland are formed by combinations of complexes of terricolous lichen synusiums composed of different lichen species and life forms. Lichens of seven life forms are represented in the studied lichen synusiums. The synusium of Xantho parmelia camtschadalis vagrant lichen occurs most often in the studied biogeocenoses.

Stable Nitrogen Isotopes (<i>δ</i>¹⁵N) in Podetias of Lichenized Fungi <i>Cladonia pocillum</i> from Different Altitudes of Habitats

“…Taking into account both vertical and horizontal zoning, the whole territory can be divided into six regions: Northern, Western, Central, Northeastern, Eastern, and Southern Khangai [29]. Overall, grasslands such as steppes and meadows prevail on the territory under study, in which lichens play a specific and in some cases quite significant role [30] [31].…”

“…Thallus consists of a horizontal, formed into squamules of 5 -10 mm diameter, tightly pressed against the substrate and vertical formed podetia 1 -3 cm in height with cup-like correct shape. Representatives of this species in Mongolia are found mainly on the ground, among moss on the rocks in the steppe, meadow, forest communities of low-, medium-and high-altitude belts of Khangai, Hovsgol, Khentei, Mongolian Dauria, Hovd, Mongolian Altai, Gobi-Altai botanic-geographic provinces [33] [34]. The presence of this species they recorded on all continents of Earth from the islands of the Arctic to Antarctica, as in the plains and in the mountains.…”

New records of lichen species from western Mongolia

“…Vain. It is a circumboreal species (Mayrhofer & Sheard, 2007), which is also known from southern and eastern Siberia (Mayrhofer & Sheard, 2007;Urbanavichus, 2010), eastern Kazakhstan , Georgia and Turkey (Mayrhofer & Sheard, 2007 (Biazrov, 1989) and the Khentei (Hauck & Javkhlan, 2006). The species was repeatedly found on trunk bases of larch trees at the forest edge to the steppe.…”

“…Especially the lichen flora of the Mongolian Altai is heavily under-researched, despite the biogeographical uniqueness of the Altai Mountains, due to the remoteness of the area. The lichen flora of the Khangai is better known due to the large longitudinal extension of this region, as its eastern parts in central Mongolia are easily accessible (Biazrov, 1989;Cogt, 1995).…”