Lichens of abandoned zinc-lead mines

Abstract

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.

Adaptation and interaction of saxicolous crustose lichens with metals

“…Ecophysiological studies emphasise epiphytic macrolichens often employed in biomonitoring surveys and terricolous lichens typically associated with acid heathland colonizing metal-contaminated sites (Purvis and Pawlik-Skowrońska, 2008 ). Despite potential toxicity, many lichenized fungi survive and grow in metalliferous habitats, including high montane or polar species, but which also apparently occur in lowland situations where they are restricted to particular mineralogical/geochemical environments (Purvis and Halls, 1996 ; Bačkor and Bodnárova, 2002 ; Paukov, 2009 2009 ; Bielczyk, 2012 ). Some may be rare and endangered, though in many cases their taxonomic identity is uncertain as monographic treatments and molecular studies have yet to be undertaken.…”

Cladonia lichens as the most effective and essential pioneers in strongly contaminated slag dumps

“…and Diploschistes muscorum [51][52][53]. Many epigeic lichens, including Cladonia spp., have been reported in Zn/Pb/Cu enriched areas [38,[54][55][56][57][58]; however, previously published records are not associated with sites as strongly affected as the examined dumps.…”

New and interesting lichen records from northeastern Poland

“…Since the last report from Alstrup and Olech [34], many new localities with it have been published. Vezdaea aestivalis is currently known to be in dozens of localities in the southern part of the country (upland and mountainous areas), but only one report has come from the northern part [35][36][37][38]. The species has been studied in detail and mapped in Poland by Czarnota and Kiszka [35] and Czarnota and Kukwa [29].…”

“…It has also been found in shaded or moist sites, and amongst mosses on trees with base-rich bark [35]. In Poland, the species has been noted both in habitats strongly influenced by human activities, e.g., abandoned zinc-lead mines and piles of old artificial fertilizers [37,38], and undisturbed areas, e.g., natural forests [35]. The specimen presented in this paper is an example of the latter situation; it was found at the base of a mature oak between corticolous bryophytes (Pylaisia polyantha), in an oak-hornbeam forest.…”