Vertical Distribution of Lichen Growth Forms in Tree Canopies of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Diversidad y distribución vertical de líquenes corticícolas en la pluvisilva montana de la Gran Piedra, Cuba

“…Según Wolf (1995), la dominancia de especies está asociada a los últimos estadios sucesionales. Los resultados obtenidos coinciden con los encontrados por Hinds (1970), Eversman et al (1987), Komposch & Hafellner (2000) y Fanning et al (2007).…”

Vertical distribution of epiphytic lichens onQuercus laurinaHumb. & Bonpl. in a remnant of cloud forest in the state of Veracruz, México

“…However, our results showed that the highest species richness and cover were found in zones 4 and 5. This may be due to the heterogeneity of the micro‐habitats along tree trunks, given by the different height of phorophyte zones, as pointed out by various authors (Kuusinen , Freiberg , Fanning et al , Li et al ) and, due to the intrinsic species restriction.…”

“…Johansson et al () considered that the abundance of macrolichens decreases with tree age; hence, it is not uncommon that the highest abundance is observed in the higher zones, as non‐scaly and fissured bark is more suitable for colonization (Normann et al ). On the other hand, Fanning et al () indicated that fruticose lichens are less diverse than crustose and foliose lichens along the vertical gradient of trees, dominating in the highest zone because of their higher light requirement (Giordani et al ). This is the case of the genera Ramalina and Usnea , although the latter was found in all Johansson zones.…”

“…The presence of corticolous lichens is related to forest type, age, composition and structure, as well as to light and moisture availability (McCune et al , Campbell and Coxson , Fanning et al , Johansson et al , Li et al ), and wind speed and exposure (Armstrong and Welch ). At the scale of trees, the vertical distribution of species and the structure of the lichen communities are influenced by their poikilohydric physiology (Komposch and Hafellner , Normann et al ).…”

“…It has been documented that along the vertical gradient of tree trunks, the community of non‐vascular epiphytes is dominated by bryophytes in the zone closest to the ground, while macrolichens (cyanolichens, alectoroid and foliose lichens) become progressively more dominant towards the canopy (McCune et al ). Both the host tree species and canopy height are considered to influence the species richness and growth forms of lichens (Fanning et al , Kiebacher et al ), and it has been suggested that lichen species usually show preference for a certain microhabitat (Peck et al ).…”