Phorophyte preference of Corticolous Lichens in experimental Agro-Forestry Center of Occidental Mindoro State College

Abstract

This study is focused on the lichen diversity and their phorophyte preference at the Experimental Agro-Forestry Center of the Occidental Mindoro College. A descriptive ecological survey was utilized. The researcher gathered data from 30 tree phorophytes belonging to ten species: Akleng-Parang, Calamansi, Cashew, Gmelina, Jackfruit, Mahogany, Mambog, Mango, Narra, and Sampaloc. The most number is from the Graphidaceae family, and the least numbered are from Lecanoraceae, Mycoporaceae, Pilocarpaceae, Porinaceae, Stereocaulaceae, and Strigulaceae. Different parameters were also included in determining the phorophyte preference of the lichens; the age of the tree, pH of the bark, bark structure, presence of milk sap, and trunk illumination. Data were analyzed through cross-tabulations, frequencies and relative frequencies, and Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index. An analysis of Variance was applied to examine if there is a significant difference in the phorophyte preference of the lichens, species richness, and diversity. The computations were anchored at the 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that there were, eighty (80) collected lichens from which thirty-eight (38) species were identified. There is no significant difference in the species richness and species diversity between the tree phorophytes since the trees only have one (1) to three species, the Narra tree has the highest diversity index, and Akleng-Parang and Mambog resulted in a low diversity index. (Phorophyte preference is highly significant as affected by the tree's age, bark pH, presence of milk sap, and trunk illumination; however, there is no significant difference as affected by bark structure.