This first version of the Red List of lichens of the Czech Republic uses IUCN criteria version 3.1 for evaluating the species (no infraspecific taxa are included). The Red List is at the same time a new version of the checklist of lichens of the Czech Republic. Differences from the previous checklist published in the Catalogue of lichens of the Czech Republic in 1999 are: 98 species are excluded (non-lichenized fungi, species not documented in the Czech Republic, misidentifications, doubtful/dubious records and other errors) and nomenclatural changes are listed in the chapter on synonyms. In total, 1497 species of lichenized fungi (without lichenicolous and lichen-allied fungi) are included. Of these, 120 (8%) suspicious records and taxonomically problematic or not well explored taxa were not evaluated against the IUCN criteria (NE category). In total, 560 species (37.4%) are threatened: 130 (8.7%) are critically endangered (CR), 184 (12.3%) are endangered (EN) and 246 (16.4%) are vulnerable (VU). In addition, 140 species (9.4%) are extinct in the Czech Republic (RE category), 174 species (11.6%) are listed in the category near threatened (NT) and 190 (12.7%) in least concern (LC). In total, 313 species (20.9%) are listed as data deficient (DD) because insufficient data are available for a categorization.
Two methods of induced in vivo chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence were used to investigate the effects of varying thallus temperature and hydration on the performance of photosynthetic apparatus of a foliar lichen Cetraria islandica: slow Chl fluorescence induction kinetic with the analysis of quenching mechanisms, and rapid irradiance response curves of photosynthesis derived from quantum yield of photochemical reactions of photosystem 2 (Φ2) recorded at increasing irradiances. We compared responses of photosynthetic apparatus in populations of C. islandica growing in lower altitude (LAP: 1 350 m a.s.l.) and in higher altitude (HAP: 2 000 m a.s.l.). At each altitude, the samples were collected both in fully irradiated sites (HI) and in shade (LI). Temperature optimum of photosynthetic processes was the same for LAP and HAP thalli of LI populations (18 °C), while it was significantly lower for HI HAP (14 °C). Gradual dehydration of fully hydrated thalli led to initial increase (up to 20 % of water saturation deficit, WSD) in FV/FM and Φ2, no change at 20-50 % WSD, and a dramatic decrease of the parameters within 50-80 % of WSD. LI HAP of C. islandica was the best adapted population to low temperature having higher rates of photochemical processes of photosynthesis than HI HAP within temperature range of -5 to +5 °C. The differences between populations were apparent also in Chl content and thallus morphology. and J. Hájek, M. Barták, J. Gloser.
The composition of cryptogam (bryophyte and lichen) communities on fallen logs was studied in two old-growth forests in the Czech Republic. Altogether, 85 species (22 liverworts, 44 mosses, and 19 lichens) were recorded. The presence and abundance of the different species on 350 logs was attributed to habitat factors (e.g. humidity, wood decay, wood softness, log diameter, bark cover, thickness of humus layer and tree species) that were recorded separately for each of the logs. The aim was to identify the factors significantly affecting the composition of cryptogam communities. For the different ecological groups of species (epiphytes, epixylic species, and ground flora) forwarded canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) selected thickness of humus layer and tree species as the factors explaining most variability. In addition, the extent of log surface covered by bark, humidity and log decay were selected as significant determinants of cryptogam community composition.
A checklist of lichens and lichenicolous fungi reported from the German part of the Bohemian Forest Range (the Bavarian Forest) is presented together with the literature sources. The area covered by the checklist is region 37 circumscribed by Grummann (1963). The list comprises 867 species currently accepted as occurring within the area. A further 44 species have been reported from the area, but their occurrence is regarded as doubtful. Seventy-seven mostly infraspecific taxa from 19th century literature sources could not be assigned to any currently accepted name and are listed separately. An overlooked, historical record of Pyxine sorediata (Ach.) Mont. is reported as the first and only German record of this species. A linear increase in the number of reported species, with no sign of saturation in recent years, indicates that the lichen flora of the region is still incompletely known. The biogeographic composition of the lichen flora broadly reflects the climatic conditions within the study area. A significantly higher proportion of northern elements among terricolous lichens could indicate a high proportion of glacial relict species within this group. Because of the incomplete floristic inventory and limited distributional data for lichens in general, these conclusions should be viewed with caution.
Rock dwelling organisms (lithobionts) such as cyanobacteria (prokaryotes) and chlorolichens (eukaryotes) abound in the Negev Desert, where they cover almost all calcareous bedrocks and rock particles (cobbles, boulders). In a small limestone watershed in the Negev Highlands, cyanobacteria inhabit the south-facing (SF) bedrocks, epilithic lichens (accompanied by endolithic lichens) inhabit the north-facing (NF) bedrocks, while endolithic lichens cover most of the cobbles and boulders in both aspects. In order to study their contribution to runoff water, a pair of runoff plots was established on habitats with cyanobacteria, endolithic lichens, and epilithic lichens. Rain and runoff were collected during the hydrological year 2006/07, and the chemical composition (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, SO4, HCO3, Si) of the rain and runoff water was analyzed. Several patterns were observed: (a) as indicated by Si, more dust accumulated on the bedrocks; (b) all substrates exhibited high amounts of Ca, and HCO3; (c) while SF-bedrocks showed enrichment in K, both bedrocks (and especially the NF bedrocks), as well as the NF boulders showed an enrichment in Mg. While the enrichment in Ca and HCO3 can be explained by the contribution of the limestone parent material, the enrichment in K and Mg can be explained by the contribution of the living lithobionts, with K being mainly contributed by the cyanobacteria and Mg mainly by the epilithic lichens. Ion enrichment may therefore be aspect-dependent, reflecting the lithobiont distribution within the drainage basin, partially explaining the enrichment in K and Mg previously recorded in runoff water from the Negev.
Comments on 11 species of cyanophilic lichens are presented. A new combination Peccania cernohorskyi is proposed, commented on and typified. Anema nodulosum, A. prodigulum, Lempholemma intricatum, Leptogium ferax, Porocyphus rehmicus and Zahlbrucknerella calcarea are reported from Slovakia for the first time, Leptogium biatorinum and L. magnussonii from Hungary, and Anema prodigulum, Heppia adglutinata, Leptogium biatorinum and Psorotichia taurica from the Czech Republic. Leptogium cretaceum is lectotypified.