Modeling of population dynamics of the protected lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. in the Caucasus

Abstract

Reduction of biological diversity of lichens, reduction of the distribution of rare species and their disappearance due to habitat disturbance are significant problems in the Caucasus. The aim was to study the main patterns of distribution of the rare lichen species Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. and included identification the main abiotic factors affecting the distribution of the species in region. We modeled the current habitats of Lobaria pulmonaria in the Caucasus by using the Maxent method (Maximum entropy modelling). The most suitable for distribution of the lichen were the wettest areas of the southern macroslope of the Greater Caucasus. The center of the predicted range of L. pulmonaria was currently located on the Black Sea coast, in the mid-mountain areas of Krasnodar region, Georgia and Abkhazia. The minimum probability of finding the species predicted in relatively arid areas with a more continental climate in the Central and, especially, Eastern Caucasus. Temperature and orographic (Topographical Ruggedness Index, topographical humidity Index) factors are also important in the distribution of the studied species.

<i>Lobaria pulmonaria</i> as an umbrella species for the protection of epiphytic lichen diversity in Polish Carpathians

“…Its undoubted umbrella role was mainly reduced to treating this species as a forest stenobiont, requiring long ecological continuity of the nearest environment and the presence of natural habitats (Campbell & Fredeen, 2004;Nascimbene et al, 2010Nascimbene et al, , 2013. e determining factors seem to be, above all, the high forest air humidity, the temperature, and the level of precipitation (Muir et al, 1997), which in the time of global climate change as continental influences increase, are becoming increasingly important for this species (Khanov & Pshegusov, 2021;Nascimbene et al, 2016).…”

“…e history of the forest ecosystem, its fragmentation, and even the way it is used affects the genetic variability of the L. pulmonaria population, the continuity of propagation, the success of dispersion, the vitality and may determine the survival of this species (Bianchi et al, 2020;Brunialti et al, 2015b;Öckinger et al, 2005;Scheidegger & Werth, 2009;Zoller et al, 1999). e key habitat factors for its occurrence seem to be: stable, high air humidity, and diffused sunlight, which prevent long periods of thallus drying (Gauslaa & Solhaug, 1999;Khanov & Pshegusov, 2021). Despite many threats resulting from direct or indirect anthropopressure, the European population of L. pulmonaria is still relatively numerous and genetically diverse (Widmer et al, 2012), although there are many examples of reduction and disappearance of its regional or local ranges (Fałtynowicz, 2003;Farkas & Lőkös, 1998;Jüriado & Liira, 2010;Nascimbene et al, 2016).…”

“…e presence of larger and more viable populations of L. pulmonaria corresponds with more lichen species richness in general, more macrolichen diversity, and more abundance of rare lichen species and cyanolichens, as well as a species composition (Campbell & Fredeen, 2004;Nascimbene et al, 2010). e decrease in the area of key habitats for L. pulmonaria and the subsequent downward trend in the number of the species prompted the governments of several countries to place it under legal protection and grant it the status of special concern (e.g., Khanov & Pshegusov, 2021;Scheidegger & Clerc, 2002). e legal protection of L. pulmonaria was applied among others in Hungary, Germany, Estonia, Ukraine, and Croatia.…”

Distribution factors of the epiphytic lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. at local and regional spatial scales in the Caucasus: combining species distribution modelling and ecological niche theory

“…It was also recorded on the bark of Pinus sylvestris L., Picea abies (L.) H. Karst., and Abies nordmanniana (Steven) Spach (Hilmo et al 2011, Urbanavichene & Urbanavichus 2014, Stoykov 2015, Khanov & Pshegusov 2021, Ginszt et al 2022.…”

“…), and maple (Acer sp.) (Urbanavichene & Urbanavichus 2014, Gasparyan & Sipman 2020), rarely on fir (Abies nordmanniana Spach) and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) (Urbanavichene & Urbanavichus 2014, Khanov & Pshegusov 2021). Although the lungwort lichen distribution patterns are widely studied in European forest landscapes (Di Nuzzo et al 2022, Ginszt et al 2022, they have not been sufficiently known in the Caucasus.…”