Long-term dynamics of the iconic old-forest lichen Usnea longissima in a protected landscape

Molecular and phenotypic study put eastern North American Cetrelia in a global context of biogeography and phylogeny

“…Beyond Cetrelia , long term studies of other lichens asssociated with high quality habitats, and mature or old-growth forests have revealed similar significant declines in population size driven by major disturbances like climate change and altered forest dynamics (Esseen et al 2023). This almost certaintly reflects the broader connection between lichen species richness and forms of disturbance included in habitat quality (e.g., pollution, fragmentation and stand maturity) that has been found in numerous previous studies (Allen & Lendemer 2016; Ardelean et al 2015; Benítez et al 2018; Chuquimarca et al 2019).…”