Large-scale and small-scale patterns in lichen assemblages of Central-European acidic aeolian sands

Alica Dingová Košuthová (Bratislava): The research was performed in four regions from subcontinental Slovakia to the suboceanic Baltic Sea region in Poland. The research focused on creating the regional list of ecological values of terricolous lichens, studying the species composition of lichens in European acidic aeolian sands and its correlation with the species composition of bryophytes and vascular plants as well as with environmental factors, succession and forestry management, and to test if continentality is the main factor influencing the lichen diversity in Cladonio-Pinetum within this gradient. The study habitats involve Pannonial inland dunes (Corynephorion canescentis) and European lichen pine forests (Cladonio-Pinetum). Nearly 1000 plots of two scales (micro- and macrosamples) were used. The results showed that action practices were important for conservation of the vegetation on Pannonial inland dunes. Within the forests, modern methods of forest management had negative effects on diversity and abundance of lichens. Negative effects were also detected from increasing density of the canopy and air pollution. It was observed that continentality was not the only factor which influenced the diversity of lichens, but the minimal temperature of the coldest month plays a crucial role in the occurrence of terricolous lichens as well.