Distribution Types of Lichens in Hungary That Indicate Changing Environmental Conditions

Abstract

Distribution data originating from earlier herbarium collections and recent biodiversity records form the basis of distribution analyses in lichen species with different ecological requirements, where the records allowed comparisons or showed clear trends. As the occurrences of lichens are strongly correlated to background environmental conditions (e.g., air pollution, global warming), confirmed by Wirth’s ecological indicator values, the analysis of distribution types has a great value for bioindication and the establishment of current and future climatic and pollution situations. Five distribution types were introduced—presented by characteristic examples (13)—according to lichen distribution maps prepared in different periods of time (representing changing environmental conditions): (1) species of decreasing occurrences by time (e.g., Lobaria pulmonaria, Menegazzia terebrata, suboceanic, acidic pollution sensitive species), (2) species with no or few former records but with increasing occurrences in recent decades (e.g., Flavoparmelia soredians, Hyperphyscia adglutinata, Solenopsora candicans, sub-Mediterranean species), (3) species with increasing and then (from c. 2000) decreasing occurrences (e.g., Scoliciosporum chlorococcum, Straminella conizaeoides, acidofrequent species), (4) species with widely increasing occurrences in recent decades (e.g., Physcia aipolioides, Piccolia ochrophora, Xanthoria parietina, nitrofrequent species), and (5) species with rapidly increasing occurrences (e.g., Absconditella lignicola, Coenogonium pineti, Evernia divaricata, rapidly spreading species). The proposed distribution types of lichen species may be applied to wider regions (the European or the global level).

Figure 3 from: Dreyling L, Boch S, Lumbsch HT, Schmitt I (2024) Surveying lichen diversity in forests: A comparison of expert mapping and eDNA metabarcoding of bark surfaces. MycoKeys 106: 153-172. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.106.117540

“…Sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) pollution has been decreasing in western Europe since the 1970s, enabling the return of many species to formerly uninhabitable ecosystems (Rose and Hawksworth 1981;Nash and Gries 2002). Conversely, species that are tolerant to acidic and sulphur-enriched conditions, for example, Lecanora conizaeoides, have been reported to decline in central Europe (Nash and Gries 2002;Farkas et al 2022). In our study, the number of plots, in which L. conizaeoides was identified with eDNA in 2021, has halved in relation to the floristic study in 2007/2008.…”

Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm.: The Multifaceted Suitability of the Lung Lichen to Monitor Forest Ecosystems

“…Similarly, Farkas et al [134] reported L. pulmonaria as widely occurring in the past, in beech forests and various broad-leaved trees in mountainous regions of Hungary (94 records up to 1967), while only three recent records were found in 2008 and 2016. The past retreat of L. pulmonaria and other sensitive species was also associated with SO 2 levels, which increased until the middle of the 1980s contributing to acidic depositions in Central Europe.…”

“…Paoli et al [134] characterised the chemical composition (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, S, and Zn) of L. pulmonaria populations from remote oak forests in Central Italy, which was found to correspond to the background of clean environments. Chahloul [57] assessed the bioaccumulation capacity of PTEs (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn) in the native thalli of L. pulmonaria (and other species) from two remote sites in Tunisia.…”

Taxonomical and chorological notes 16 (164–177)

“…Flavoparmelia soredians an Atlanto-Mediterranean foliose lichen species was recently reported from Hungary (Farkas et al 2016). It is considered as spreading mostly in anthropogenic, urban habitats in Hungary (Farkas et al 2022). Th e 20th Hungarian record is new to the Hajdúság area (E Hungary).…”