Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
1
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
Lapland state nature biosphere reserve
Here and there they form such a continuous cover that it is impossible to make a step not feeling them under foot (picture 1).
Lichens have various forms – they can look like all kinds of spots and crust on stones, laced small shrubs forming vast carpets and mats on soil, or aggregation of miniature “cubes” sticking all over old stubs and dead woods. Many types of li-chens are hanging in form of thin pale-green or dark-brown locks from tree branches or inhabit fir or pine branches orga-nized as various blades, flakes and warts; often they cover moss hummocks or moss-covered boulders and trunk bases by large fine laminas. Color range is abundant – lichens can be gray and plain but more often than not they are of a bright-yellow or orange colors, from oxide to bright-red shades. Green or snow-white lichens are encountered, sometimes they are of all kinds of shades or dark-brown, almost black.
So what are they – these exotic organisms – lichens?Whereas during many centuries and even millennia peo-
ple have been knowing hundreds of trees, grasses and shrubs types surrounding them everywhere and widely used for pro-duction of food, as raw materials for textile manufacturing and as construction material, for a long time scientists didn’t understand the nature of these organisms. It is not for noth-ing that one of the most prominent Russian plants physiolo-
Each northerner has ever met these amazing and low-maintenance plants while walking in forests or mountain areas. Real early adopters – lichens are growing everywhere – on ground, stones, old windfall trees and branches.
Picture 1 Cladonia stellaris
Lichens of the north-taiga and mountain landscapes of the Lapland reserve
ABCGheritage – Our common arctic heritage
2
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
gists K.A. Timiryazev called lichens “plants – sphinxes”. Lichens were related either to algae, or to fungi and even to mosses (people except specialists-botanists are still keep on calling them as mosses); it was a period when they were identified as a separate taxonomic group Lichenes. So what is so complicat-ed with them? The point is lichen being as a single organism is a unique natural phenomenon. Several completely differ-ent organisms are coexisting within it ensuring thus survival of each other. Most frequently such a partnership is formed by a mushroom and an alga (normally a green or rarely a blue-green bacteria – cyanobacterium), but sometimes three or even four compounds can be met. But a body of one lichen type is always represented by a single mycobiont (fungus), the rest are photobionts (algae and/or cyanobacteria). There-fore before manufacturing of powerful microscopes scientist were not capable to identify lichens’ nature. Modern science systematics does still place lichens into the kingdom of fun-gi because a vital function – reproduction – is still ensured by a fungus component – mycobiont. Due to this reason one of the modern names of lichens used in scientific literature is lichenezed fungi.
It is widely known that fungi are heterotrophic organisms, i.e. they are able only to consume organic matters (feeding on it). But a lichen as a single organism however is being an autotrophic one as it lives on organic matters which are pro-duced by it independently. This is explained by the fact that lichen except a fungus partner includes an alga partner – pho-tobiont as well which can perform photosynthesizing in light conditions and produce organic matters used for life sustain-ing of a photobiont itself and mycobiont too. These symbiotic relations of a fungus and an alga provide an opportunity to the whole organism to live on an autotrophical basis. Mod-ern scientists are pretty familiar about mechanisms and na-ture of the mutual sustainable partnership. We can specify that lichen’s body which part is visible by us (called thallus) is an outer shell formed by a fungus compound covering inter-nal algae layer (protected by fungus hyphae from extreme dry-ing and aggressive environmental factors). Feeding of lichens as autotrophic organisms is ensured by photobiont synthesis for which lichen requires only sunlight and moisture available via an outer (fungus) membrane of lichen absorbing it from at-mosphere (these are rain drops, mist and simply saturated air).
Lichens are pioneers digesting life environments free from other plants and are recognized to be one of the most ancient plant bodies on land emerged in a period when stable rela-tions started to be formed between the first ground algae (or cyanobacteria) and fungi. The first more or less documented discoveries of fossil thallomes most probably belonging to li-chens are of the early Devonian (about 480 million years ago) and even of the Pre-Cambrian age (almost 600 million years).
Totally there are more than 23 thousand types of lichens are known all over the world. They are expanded across the whole land from polar deserts to tropical forests. Here-with lichens can be so unpretentious that grow there where the other plants just are not able to live – in extremely se-vere polar and high-mountain deserts covered by permanent
Picture 2 Ophioparma ventosa
Picture 3 Cetraria islandica
Picture 4 Lichen desert
Picture 5 Mosaic of crustose epilithic lichens
Picture 6 Rhizocarpon geographicum
3
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
Lapland state nature biosphere reserve
snows, where there is no summer and only stones and cliffs exposed to winds can stay open. Three quarters of all lichens types – are almost microscopic organisms which are impossi-ble to study without being equipped with special optical tools. The majority of lichen types inhabiting northern latitudes are very slow-growing, during one year they can grow up only for 0.1–2 mm, rarely for 3 mm. Therefore they cannot compete with fast-growing mosses and other higher plants. But the cru-cial role of lichens consists in being early colonists of lifeless mineral ground, bare stones, boulders and cliffs gradually de-structing their surface and preparing it in this manner for more soil demanding higher plants.
Despite their slow growth some lichens on long live stable conditions for several hundreds of years or even 1–2 thousand of years can reach huge dimensions up to 1–2 m in diameter (рicture 2).
Considerable biomass of ground lichens is presented in so called white mosses forests (picture 4) which are to be named correctly as lichenous forests. In some subalpine forests total biomass of all lichens layers (including growing on trees) can reach more than 1.5 tonne per 1 hectare, herewith assimilatory surface area of all thallomes amounts 0.1–0.7 million square meters.
The biggest share in constitution of a vegetation cov-er of lichens is encountered in the northern countries, es-pecially in tundra where biomass of them is even increasing at times a biomass of all the rest plants put together. Here they often serve as a main feeding type for reindeers – a small group of species even has received a name “reindeer lichen” or “reindeer moss” (these are species of Cladonia genus Cladonia – Cladonia sylvatica C. arbuscula s. l., C. rangiferina, C. stellaris etc.). Numerous insects or their slugs, acarians, var-ious mollusks and even crustaceans don’t mind to eat lichens, moreover, some of them switch to obligatory lichens feeding. In winter period lichens become a main feed even for monkeys in mountainous southern provinces of China. Lichens don’t only constitute a ration of animals. Thus residents of China and Japan consider some lichen species to be a true delicacy (for example, Umbilicaria esculenta).
Some species of lichens are applied for medical purpos-es. For example, Cetraria islandica (picture 3), common on northern forests and tundra and is widely known as Iceland moss, is used for treating different catarrhal diseases (is simply prepared as a simple water brew). Some lichen acids possess mild and antiseptic features produced by life activity processes of a range of other lichen species as for example genus Usnea and Bryoria.
Lichens don’t play only feeding role in wild nature. Some species of birds and small forest animals, for example, chaf-finch, dotterel, squirrels are building their nests using lichens.
Being endurable to the most disadvantageous condi-tions of life environment and having lived during millions of years lichens frequently turn out to be absolutely help-less in the modern and rapidly changing worlds especially when encountered dangers human activities. Deforestation, extraction of commercial minerals, atmospheric pollution
Picture 2 Ophioparma ventosa
Picture 3 Cetraria islandica
Picture 4 Lichen desert
Picture 5 Mosaic of crustose epilithic lichens
Picture 6 Rhizocarpon geographicum
A lichen as a single organism however is being an autotrophic one as it lives on organic matters which are produced by it independently.
ABCGheritage – Our common arctic heritage
4
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
by numerous plants and factories emissions – these are the main reasons of decline and disappearance of many lichen species populations. Extremely aero-anthropogenic emissions lead to formation of anthropogenic lichen deserts located in the most polluted areas – it means areas where lichens are completely dying off. That is why it is very important to carry out timely examination and p reserve of lichens particularly on the territories where low-disturbed or innocent natural complexes are still alive.
Lichens flora of the Murmansk region is being examined for more than one hundred fifty years. And only the recently pub-lished catalogue of lichen species, lichenphil fungi and connat-ural nonlichenphil fungi summed up the latest results of these examinations. Nowadays lichen flora of the Murmansk region consists of more than 1200 species relating to more than 300 genera and more than 90 families.
The biggest variety of lichens is noticed in western, central and southern zones of the region – in bio-geographical prov-inces Pechenga Lapland, Tuloma Lapland, Imandra Lapland, Kuusamo, Keret Karelia.
The same as in the majority of northern regions the biggest part of lichen species found in the Murmansk region possess vast circumpolar and circumboreal areals – more than 70 % of species are widely ranged in the Northern hemisphere. As for locally distributed species – nowadays there are total-ly about 50 species in Russia originating from the Murman-sk region. Quite a big amount of lichens – 35 was described (i.e. typical location – locus classicus) from the Kola peninsu-la. However a significant part of them was afterwards found in many regions of the earth. For example, Peltigera ponojen-sis described from Ponoy river at the present moment is well known within the Northern hemisphere up to subtropical regions. Areal of Phaeophyscia kairamoi described from the same place (described in honor of a Finnish scientist Kai-ramo) today ranges up to tropical latitudes. Such species as Caloplaca phaeocarpella and Protothelenella sphinctrinoidel-la described from the Kola peninsula shores are encountered even in Antarctica.
Variety and abundance of lichen flora directly depend on range borders of their inhabitation places and ecotopes available for lichens to live on. Therefore areas with large mountain ranges and well-developed zonality are the most favorable conditions for formation of natural rich lichen flora. On the other hand, to maintain such a rich and diverse lichen flora stability and continuity of life environment conditions are crucially required along with absence of negative anthro-pogenic effects. Such conditions are possible only within spe-cially protected natural areas, the best suited regime for that purposes is fully provided in the state natural reservеs.
The Lapland reserve is one of the best examined in terms of lichen flora abundance on the territory of the Murmansk region. Despite a considerable period of reserve existence special lichen flora related researches was started here only in 2003. But from that date more than 600 species (it is more than one half of the whole species composition of the lichen flora in the Murmansk region) were found on the territory of
Picture 7 Arctoparmelia centrifuga
Picture 8 Epiphytic lichens on the branches of shpruce
Picture 9 Nephroma arcticum
Picture 11 Bryoria fuscescens
Picture 12 Cladonia deformis
Picture 10 Chaenotheca gracillima
5
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
Lapland state nature biosphere reserve
the reserve, more than 70 species turned out to be absolutely new ones, more than a dozen of types were found in Russia for the first time, 1 species, 1 species Candelariella aggregate – was found for the first time in Eurasia (previously it was en-countered only in the Northern America).
The Lapland reserve occupies the third place in Russia for species richness found in reserves after Pechera-Ilychsky (ap-proximately 880 species) and Baikal reserve (almost 720 spe-cies). To estimate how rich is lichen flora of the Lapland reserve it can be compared with more or less examined territories. For example, the same amount of species is known on Spitsber-gen archipelago, in Lithuania and in the Republic of Belarus, significantly less in the eastern part of the Leningrad region, the Nizhny Novgorod region and the whole Central Black Earth Region.
Picture 11 Bryoria fuscescens
Picture 12 Cladonia deformis
Picture 10 Chaenotheca gracillima
While estimating ecologic and geographic peculiarities of the lichen flora found at the reserve up to the present mo-ment the following is worth mentioning. Approximately one half of all species known in the Lapland reserve is collected from stony substrate, the rest ones – from ground, mosses, plant residues or trees substrate. Thus we are underlining a principal importance of stony substrate for formation of the Lapland reserve lichen flora. And indeed – almost every stone seen in forests or tundra is practically always covered with several lichen species (picture 5). The most important factor for lichen development is that a stone shall be immov-able during several years.
The most popular among epilithic types are lichens of crus-taceous life form – organized as a thin crust or film overgrow-ing surface of stones. One of the most wide spread species in the reserve as well as in the other areas of the Murmansk region is a very polymorphous lichen Rhizocarpon geograph-icum (picture 6), which is forming a complicated pattern made of yellowish-greenish spots with black points and lines on stones surface resembling at times geographic maps. Fre-quently in forests and mountains one can see an amazing pattern made of almost Giotto’s O on large boulders and on cliffs – this is a way Arctoparmelia centrifuga is growing out (picture 7).
In conditions of northern taiga, severe climatic conditions and poor enough species composition of forests and shrubs species abundance of epiphytic (inhabiting trees) lichens are not large. Common epiphytic lichens are richer and more diversified in southern and moist mountain countries or oce-anic costs. Spruce forests near watercourse and hillsides are more or less rich in lichens. The most widespread epiphytic
The majority of lichen types inhabiting northern latitudes are very slow-growing, during one year they can grow up only for 0.1–2 mm, rarely for 3 mm. They cannot compete with fast-growing mosses and other higher plants.
ABCGheritage – Our common arctic heritage
6
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
lichens are represented, for example, by Hypogymnia physodes, Parmelia sulcata, Platismatia glauca (picture 8). Nephroma arcticum (picture 9) is often encountered in moist green moss forests on ground, moss-covered mounds, stones or windfalls.
Nearby the western root of the Ruapnun mountain (south-western part of Chuna tundra), in spruce forests on old European aspens bodies rare nemoral species Lecan-ora rugosella and Pertusaria sommerfeltii (var. melanostoma) are inhabitant, found only for the second time at the territory of the Murmansk region. Old European aspens bodies in quite warmed up and moist spruce forests are a kind of special con-ductors of southern lichen species into the northern forests (up to the border of the northern taiga and forest-tundra). This emphasizes an importance (repeatedly mentioned by for-eign lichenologists and ecologists) of these habitats for ex-pansion of rare lichen species and requirement to preserve old European aspens in the northern forests.
So called Calicium lichens are often found in old spruce forests or woody cores of old spruce stubs, these lichens are rare species for the other areas of the Murmansk region. For example, Chaenotheca gracillima (picture 10) is found on the western shore of Elyavr lake and included into the Red List of the Murmansk region. Among the main factors prevent-ing a broad distribution of these rare and sensible to changes in microclimatic conditions species are deforestations, fires, pollution of atmosphere by industrial discharges, etc. In many countries of the European boreal zone Calicium lichens are recognized to be indicators of long term non-disturbed (ap-proximately 100–150 years) old age forestland and actively used in monitoring deforestation and p reserve of virgin boreal forests.
However spruce forests are not always favorable condi-tions for epiphytic lichens. For example at territories subjected to atmospheric pollution by “Severonikel” plant, in river basins Vite, Kurkenyok, Elnunvuoy so typical for other reserve areas hanging species of genera Alectoria and Bryoria are almost not found. These forests are extremely lacking of ground lichens species. Far from discharges, for example, in a valley of Mavra river in pine and spruce-pine forests epiphytic Bryoria spe-cies are abundant (picture 11) and some specimen can reach 1–2 meters length.
Generally pine forests are not so abundant with epiphytic lichens as spruce forests are. It is related to their disturbance both by industrial harvestings in the 1950’s of the previous century and fires which caused formation of relatively homo-geneous young shrub-green moss pine forests. For example, specially performed lichen flora researches in a valley of Su-anlaguay river (affluent of Chuna river) practically didn’t add anything new in terms of new discoveries to what has been collected from other areas of the reserve.
At the same time pine forests are common home to abun-dant ground (epigenic) lichens whereas total species wealth of lichens in these forests remains not high. Thus well-known lichen pine forests oк white moss pine forests are normally formed by a small set of lichens of Cladonia genus. These types of forests are generally formed after tens of years from recent fires. Сommon species Cladonia deformis (picture 12) can be met practically always in such kinds of pine forests.
Rich abundance of epigenic lichens is natural in the north-ern and mountainous regions due to lack of competition from high plants side. Therefore lichen tundras most frequently formed by species Flavocetraria nivalis and Alectoria ochroleu-ca (picture 13) are developed high in the mountains above forest elevation.
Despite general pretty homogenous vegetation and cli-matic conditions of the Lapland reserve (that is natural for North) dramatic contrasts of geomorphological conditions stipulate significant differences in habitus and composition of lichen flora from the different areas of the Lapland reserve. Local specificity of lichen flora is expressed in the most striking and specific manner near main rocks containing calcium salts (which are rarely encountered at the territory of the Murmansk region). Two such areas with a high lichens concentration
Picture 13 Elnyun: lichen tundra of Flavocetraria nivalis
Picture 14 Rocks under the slopes Seidapakhta mountain
with rare calciphilic species of lichens
7
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
Lapland state nature biosphere reserve
So called Calicium lichens are often found in old spruce forests or woody cores of old spruce stubs, these lichens are rare species for the other areas of the Murmansk region. For example, Chaenotheca gracillima (picture 10) is found on the western shore of Elyavr lake and included into the Red List of the Murmansk region. Among the main factors prevent-ing a broad distribution of these rare and sensible to changes in microclimatic conditions species are deforestations, fires, pollution of atmosphere by industrial discharges, etc. In many countries of the European boreal zone Calicium lichens are recognized to be indicators of long term non-disturbed (ap-proximately 100–150 years) old age forestland and actively used in monitoring deforestation and p reserve of virgin boreal forests.
However spruce forests are not always favorable condi-tions for epiphytic lichens. For example at territories subjected to atmospheric pollution by “Severonikel” plant, in river basins Vite, Kurkenyok, Elnunvuoy so typical for other reserve areas hanging species of genera Alectoria and Bryoria are almost not found. These forests are extremely lacking of ground lichens species. Far from discharges, for example, in a valley of Mavra river in pine and spruce-pine forests epiphytic Bryoria spe-cies are abundant (picture 11) and some specimen can reach 1–2 meters length.
Generally pine forests are not so abundant with epiphytic lichens as spruce forests are. It is related to their disturbance both by industrial harvestings in the 1950’s of the previous century and fires which caused formation of relatively homo-geneous young shrub-green moss pine forests. For example, specially performed lichen flora researches in a valley of Su-anlaguay river (affluent of Chuna river) practically didn’t add anything new in terms of new discoveries to what has been collected from other areas of the reserve.
At the same time pine forests are common home to abun-dant ground (epigenic) lichens whereas total species wealth of lichens in these forests remains not high. Thus well-known lichen pine forests oк white moss pine forests are normally formed by a small set of lichens of Cladonia genus. These types of forests are generally formed after tens of years from recent fires. Сommon species Cladonia deformis (picture 12) can be met practically always in such kinds of pine forests.
Rich abundance of epigenic lichens is natural in the north-ern and mountainous regions due to lack of competition from high plants side. Therefore lichen tundras most frequently formed by species Flavocetraria nivalis and Alectoria ochroleu-ca (picture 13) are developed high in the mountains above forest elevation.
Despite general pretty homogenous vegetation and cli-matic conditions of the Lapland reserve (that is natural for North) dramatic contrasts of geomorphological conditions stipulate significant differences in habitus and composition of lichen flora from the different areas of the Lapland reserve. Local specificity of lichen flora is expressed in the most striking and specific manner near main rocks containing calcium salts (which are rarely encountered at the territory of the Murmansk region). Two such areas with a high lichens concentration
Picture 14 Rocks under the slopes Seidapakhta mountain
with rare calciphilic species of lichens
Some species of lichens are applied for medical purposes. Some lichen acids possess mild and antiseptic features produced by life activity processes.
preferring rich calcium-containing rocks (otherwise called cal-cicoles) were found. One area is located nearby Saidlucht gulf along the northern coast of Chunozero lake in a mountain area Saidnotlag of the southern Chuna tundra hillside – approxi-mately from Kupletsky stream to Raikor stream. The second area is located at northern spurs of Monche tundra, near the southern coat of Vaikis lake, slightly west of stream Chin-gils-corr entry.
High abundance and specificity of mountain area Saidnot-lag lichen flora, almost 200 species of lichens were identified at the total area of approximately 2 square kilometers (almost 1/3 of all lichen species of the reserve on area smaller than the area of the reserve in more than 1000 times), let separat-ing a specific lichens flora complex in this zone.
Large yields of main calcium-containing rocks (picture 14), old spruce forests and clumps of old European aspens on cliffs, hillside of the southern exposition (one of the warmest in the reserve), large water basin of Chunozero lake – all of these creates a special microclimate suitable for growth of lichens beyond the Polar circle which areals are typically located in mountains of more southern latitudes. Many species of Li-chinaceae family are found here and not identified in the other zones of the reserve.
Southern and east-southern hillsides of Seidapachta mountain is a place where rare lichens species are encountered including Psora rubiformis (picture 15), Psorula rufonigra, Rhizo-placa melanophthalma (was met for the first time at the terri-tory of the Murmansk region) and etc.
Under canopies of European aspens on cliffs among wild strawberry underbrushes quite rare moisture-loving species of Nephroma genus – Nephroma bellum, Nephroma. parile, Nephroma resupinatum, Nephroma helveticum (the latter in included into the Red List of the Murmansk region). Eu-ropean aspens bodies are inhabitant by rare for North lichen species Melanohalea exasperate (included into the Red List of the Murmansk region), Melanohalea exasperatula, Phaeophy-scia ciliata.
The other valuable area in terms of lichen flora abundance at Vaikis lake is a small complex of cliff walls containing calci-um and located about 50 m form lake’s coast at the elevation from 30 to 70 m above water level. Although areas with high-er calcium concentrations are not marked along the whole length of cliff walls but in the part closer to Chingils-corr stream entry. Also a small cliff area containing some amount of calcium salts is located in the valley of the Chingils-corr stream itself, in about 200 m upstream.
ABCGheritage – Our common arctic heritage
8
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
Picture 15 Species enlisted in the Red Book Psora rubiformis
Picture 16 Lichenomphalia hudsoniana
Picture 17 Lobaria pulmonaria
Picture 18 Bryoria fremontii
Picture 19 Alectoria ochroleuca
Picture 20 Flavocetraria nivalis
Picture 21 Cladonia macroceras
Picture 22 Cetrariella delisei
Picture 23 Thamnolia vermicularis
9
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
Lapland state nature biosphere reserve
This area is valuable predominantly because of concentra-tion of a huge amount of rare and lichen species unique for lichen flora of the elevation and the Murmansk region. The fol-lowing lichen species were encountered here for the first time: Arctoparmelia subcentrifuga (included into the Red List of the Murmansk region), Dermatocarpon miniatum, Diplo-tomma nivale, Physconia perisidiosa, Placynthium asperellum, Placynthium nigrum, Stigmidium conspurcans and etc., and a lot of rare species previously known by singular discoveries in the reserve (for example, Leproplaca obliterans, Physconia muscigena, Ramalina pollinaria, Rhizoplaca melanophthalma etc). Moreover upper cliffs exposed to south and south-west, i.e. exposed to sunlight is inhabitant by rare species Psora ru-biformis, Psorula rufonigra and Spilonema revertens (the latter two are found in the Saidnotlag mountain area), Pertusaria amara and others.
Picture 21 Cladonia macroceras
Picture 22 Cetrariella delisei
Picture 23 Thamnolia vermicularis
Having lived during millions of years lichens frequently turn out to be absolutely helpless in the modern and rapidly changing world especially when encountered dangers human activities.
In terms of discoveries lichen flora complex of Vaikis lake resembles much what was found in the Saidnotlag mountain area. Although a range of species found in the Saidnotlag mountain area is still not met at cliffs on the southern part of Vaikis lake. First of all these are species of genera contain-ing a blue-green photobiont, such as Ephebe, Euopsis, Fus-copannaria, Parmeliella. Probably a northern exposition of Vaikis lake cliffs doesn’t ensure enough warn supply for these lichens. Direct sunlight touch the main cliff mass only in eve-ning time and for a short period comparing to south-exposed cliffs of the Saindnotlag mountain area. On the other hand cliffs of the Vaikis lake southern coast are home to unique (not only for lichen flora of the reserve and the Murmansk region) species – Candelariella aggregata (found in Eurasian continent for the first time), Catillaria chalybaea, Lecanactis dilleniana, Schismatomma umbrinum and others.
Presence of calcium salts in a substrate is an extremely important factor for ranging of calciphilous lichen species. These habitats are also used by rare lichen species typically living in southern latitudes mountains to expand themselves to the north. However the other areas of the reserve are not rich in such abundant and various aggregations of calciph-ilous lichen species. Postgraduate of the Polar-alpine bo-tanic garden – institute of the Krasnoyarsk scientific center A.V. Melekhin could collect literally 2–3 specimen of these lichens in Salnye tundras and nearby Nyavkatundra area.
One more specific peculiarities of lichens are connected with yielding of rocks containing high concentrations of fer-rum and close metallic ores – these are so called ferrumphilous
ABCGheritage – Our common arctic heritage
10
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
Nowadays lichen flora of the Murmansk region consists of more than 1200 species relating to more than 300 genera and more than 90 families.
Picture 24 Allantoparmelia alpicola
Picture 25 Melanelia stygia
Picture 26 Parmelia saxatilis
lichens. The left coast of Chingils-corr stream slightly up-stream from an area with cliffs containing calcium and in ap-proximately 300–400 m from Vaikis lake downstream Kupes river is a place where ledge rocks with increased ferrum con-centration (probably as well as a concentration of the other heavy metals) were found that facilitated making interesting discoveries of species forming the whole lichenous association. It is presented by such ferrumphilous (literally – those who like ferrum) species as Acarospora sinopica, Buellia aethalea, Le-cidea silacea, Miriquidica atrofulva, Miriquidica lulensis, Pleop-sidium chlorophanum, Rhizocarpon santessonii (previously was not known in Russia), Tremolecia atrata and so on.
Picture 27 Lasallia rossica
Picture 28 Umbilicaria vellea
Picture 29 Umbilicaria deusta
Lichen play the most important role in formation of vege-tation cover of tundra mountains belt of the reserve at the el-evations more than 900–1000 meters above sea level. These are suburbs of Namlagchorr, Ebruchorr and Rainenchorr mountain top of Chuna tundra and partly mountain tops of El-goras and Vuim (are not examined in details by lichenologists up to the present moment) in Salnye tundras. Predominance of open stony substrates, very limited development of a soil layer (small fragments on southern and south-western sloping terraces) determine specificity of lichen vegetation on these elevations – absolute prevalence of epilytic species in terms of abundance and richness. Typical for mountainous tun-dra ground lichens of genera Alectoria, Bryocaulon, Cetraria, Cladonia, Flavocetraria and other are found here only at ex-posed warmed up areas with a thin soil layer of cliffs or sloping terraces of southern and south-western expositions.
Stony substrates are basically covered, which is striking one’s eye, by crustaceous lichens species from genera (listed in order of role decreasing in content of lichenous associa-tion): Bellemerea, Rhizocarpon, Miriquidica, Lecidea, Aspicil-ia, Porpidia, Lecanora and so on. Among foliated and bushy epilytes the following species are common (listed in order of abundance decreasing in substrates overgrowing): Pseude-phebe, Melanelia, Umbilicaria, Sphaerophorus, Arctoparmelia and some other species.
High mountain (about 1000 meter above sea level) stony-li-chenous and stony-moss-lichenous tundras in the central and northern parts of Chuna tundra and part of Salnye tundras significantly differ in terms of species set and composition of lichens associations from less high (lower than 800 meters above sea level) Nyavkatundra, Monchetundra, southern part of Chuna tundra, Volchyi tundras and the biggest part of Sal-nye tundras. First of all the most high mountain landscapes
11
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
Lapland state nature biosphere reserve
are missing a range of genera and species typical for less high elevations. For example, such as Lasallia, Lithographa, Micarea, Nephroma. It is seen with the naked eye that representatives of Peltigera genus are limited in species and range.
At the same time only elevations of 900–1000 meters above sea level are inhabitant with very rare high mountain and arctic genera and species which were not previously en-countered in the reserve (and some of them in the Murmansk region): genus Bryonora – species Bryonora pruinosa, Catillaria contristans, genus Catolechia – species Catolechia wahlen-bergii, genus Epilichen – species Epilichen scabrosus, species Pyrenopsis furfurea, genus Schadonia – species Schadonia al-pine (found in Russia for the first time), species Lecanora lepta-cina etc.
Peculiarity of a lichen cover forming at such elevations is all-round inhabitation of mossy sods by lichens, especially growing on a stony substrate, predominantly by species from genera: Ochrolechia (the most massive development!), Lep-raria, Frutidella (with a single species – Frutidella caesioatra) and others. Mossy pillows are typically inhabitant by ground or epilytic species from the genera: Cetraria, Cladonia, Melane-lia, Pseudephebe etc.
Interesting discoveries of rare lichens species are made not only on the tops of the highest mountains. A specific habitat is a stony top of Ruapnun mountain (height is only 685 me-ters above sea level), where the new lichen species for Russia Rhizocarpon furfurosum was encountered. This species being a rare one on the world was described for the first time in 1955 from Austrian Alps. Afterwards R. furfurosum was found in Norway and Sweden (one verified habitat), in Great Britain, Germany, Fracnce, Italy. The closest point to the species found in the reserve is known in Sweden. At that, a species com-position of lichens collected at Ruapnun mountain generally doesn’t differ from other examined areas of the reserve and the Murmansk region.
Role of the Lapland reserve is important consisting in pro-tection of the lichens of the Murmansk region – its territory includes more than 50 % of species known in the region, namely protection of not only the whole variety of them, but especially those species declared to be rare at the territory of the Murmansk region and which are potentially under threat of dying out if negative anthropogenic factors are not elim-inated. From all species under protection in the Murmansk region 15 are growing in the Lapland reserve. Moreover a lot of lichens species are identified in the reserve which shall be biologically monitored within the Murmansk region.
Foremost species protected at the federal level, i.e. includ-ed into the Red List of the Russian Federation shall be speci-fied. These are Bryoria fremontii, basidio lichen, Lichenomphalia hudsoniana (picture 16) and Lobaria pulmonaria (picture 17). If two first species are not rare in the reserve and sporadically met in old pine and mixed forests (Bryoria fremontii) or mossy cliffs in mountain of all belts (Lichenomphalia hudsoniana), Lobaria pulmonaria is very rarely encountered and known to grow only in one habitat on Zasteid-2 mountain hills (discov-ered by A.V. Melekhin in 2006). Lobaria pulmonaria habitat
Picture 27 Lasallia rossica
Picture 28 Umbilicaria vellea
Picture 29 Umbilicaria deusta
ABCGheritage – Our common arctic heritage
12
Lich
ens
of th
e no
rth-
taig
a an
d m
ount
ain
land
scap
es o
f the
Lap
land
rese
rve
Picture 30 Chrysothrix chlorina
Picture 31 Icmadophila ericetorum
Picture 32 Arctoparmelia subcentrifuga
in the Lapland reserveis located practically at the most north-ern range border in the world.
In Russia Lobaria pulmonaria was found far to the north only once in the first half of the XIX century – in outskirts of “Pasvik” reserve (today an attempt to find it again failed.
At the same time some rare species in the Murmansk re-gion (it turned out that they were included into the Red List because just were poorly studied) proven to be common the Lapland reserve. For example, Ionaspis lacustris (synonym Hymenelia lacustris) inhabits everywhere stones, periodically or constantly wet down, in river, stream entries and on lake coasts. Chaenotheca brunneola is widespread in forests of the reserve. Due to p reserve of the considerable population at the territory of the Murmansk region it was suggested to exclude almost 20 species from the next revision of the Red List. Thus, the Lapland reserve fulfills its important function in maintaining a rich variety of lichens flora in northern taiga and mountainous forests of the Polar circle.
