Checklist of Lichens and Associated Fungi from Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Québec, Canada

Abstract

This first annotated checklist of the lichens and associated fungi from Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve (Québec, Canada) was compiled with the aim of enhancing the ecological knowledge from this regional biodiversity hotspot. I collected specimens in 2021 and 2022 and reviewed previous records based on vouchers deposited at the Louis-Marie Herbarium. A total of 257 species belonging to 96 genera are reported for the protected area, 3 of which represent the first published occurrence with an associated, digitized voucher for the province of Québec: Lecanactis abietina, Opegrapha vulgata, and Usnea diplotypus. This work highlights that Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve has the potential to be recognized as an area of high lichen diversity in northeastern North America.

DNA barcoding aids in generating a preliminary checklist of the lichens and allied fungi of Calvert Island, British Columbia: Results from the 2018 Hakai Terrestrial BioBlitz

“…Due to their dependence on and/or resemblance to lichens, some taxa of non‑lichenised “allied” fungi (e.g. lichenicolous fungi) have traditionally been included in lichen studies ( McMullin et al 2017b , Spribille et al 2020 , Esslinger 2021 , Bell-Doyon 2023 ), as they are here in our work. Lichens have many important ecological functions including aiding in soil formation ( Adamo and Violante 2000 ), helping to stabilise soil ( Belnap and Gillette 1998 , Eldridge and Leys 2003 ), contributing to nutrient cycling ( Pike 1978 , Knops et al 1991 ) and they provide camouflage, habitat and food for many organisms (e.g.…”