Thesis (doctoral)--Uppsala University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 27-29). Downloaded and printed Aug. 26, 2004.

Paderborn, Univ., Diss., 2001. / Computerdatei im Fernzugriff.

Paderborn, Univ., Diss., 2001. / Computerdatei im Fernzugriff.

Lichens are poikilohydric and cannot control water uptake and loss, water relations could therefore impact their distribution. This study examines if morphological, anatomical, and water storage traits could explain distribution of epiphytic species in the lichen genus Usnea. Seven species from oceanic (Norway) and continental areas (Sweden) were studied. Total, internal, and external water holding capacity (WHC, mg H2O cm-2) along with relative water content (WC) were recorded by spraying the thalli with water and measuring mass after shaking and blotting. The specific thallus mass (STM, mg cm-2 - main driver of WHC) was calculated from images of wet thalli. Thickness of anatomical layers (cortex, medulla, and axis) was also measured. Pendent species had lower STM and water storage than shrubby species, most probably an adaptation to water uptake from humid air. Total, internal, and external WHC were higher in the shrubby species than in the pendent ones. The pendent species had the same internal WHC as earlier reports on Bryoria and Alectoria. External water storage decreased for all species as biomass increased. The ratio between total and internal water was twice as high as reported in foliose lichens. Variation in branch diameter was much higher in shrubby than in pendent species. The interspecific differences in water storage reflect regional differences in water sources – oceanic species had higher water storage than pendent continental species, but lower than the shrubby U. hirta. I conclude that both internal and external water storage help to explain distribution of Usnea in Norway and Sweden.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2001--Paderborn.

The thesis deals with the ecology of lichens in two contrasting types of forest, epiphytic lichens in old Picea abies forest of the fi re-refugia type and epigeic as well as epixylic lichens in a successional sequence of fire- susceptible Pinus sylvestris forests. Results in five separate papers form the basis for a discussion of general patterns of dispersal, succession and life strategies in lichens. The study sites were located in Medelpad and Väs­terbotten, in the central and northern part of Sweden, respectively. Special attention has been paid to the rare, pendulous, spruce-1ichen Usnea longissima and the coexisting lichen species. U. longissima is largely restricted to north-facing hill slopes covered with old, mesic spruce forest that is characterized by a very long continuity not disturbed by fire. A mar­ked decline in the number of sites with U. longissima was found. The decline was mainly due to the effect of different forestry practices as the species is very sensitive to environmental disturbances. The epiphytic lichen vegetation of six tree species occurring in the spruce forest is described. Clear successional trends with increasing tree size were • obtained for Alectoria sarmentosa, Bryoria fuscescens coll., B. nadvornikiana, Usnea filipendula' and U. subflorida'na, to a lesser extent for Bryoria capii-“" laris while U. longissima had no relationship to tree size or age. TTstudy of the litterfall of macrofragments of epiphytic lichens showed that thallus fragments were dispersed throughout the year with late autumn, winter and early spring as the most critical periods. It is suggested that dispersal through thallus fragmentation is more important in fruticose than in foliose species and that U. longissima has a shorter range of propagule transport than the other species of Alectoria, Bryoria and Usnea studied. The latter proposition was supported through a study of the horizontal patterns of lichen occurrence in the spruce forest. It is shown that the diversity in ground vegetation, after an initial in­crease, declines with succession in the pine forests. A mechanism of succes­sion in ground vegetation is presented which suggest that variations in habi­tat heterogeneity, i.e. the diversity of substrates caused by the initial dis­turbance and the stand development, largely determines diversity changes dur­ing succession. Trends of increasing thallus size, increasing size of asexual reproductive propagules and increased competitive ability with succession formed the basis for recognizing three types of strategies in Cladonia» It is concluded that lichens have features that are compatible with the r-K continuum and that they are variously adapted to both the stability of the substrates and that of the forest as a whole. / <p>Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 1983, härtill 5 uppsatser</p> / digitalisering@umu

The epiphytic lichen Usnea longissima is strongly associated with old-growth forests and is declining. Previous studies have documented unimodal relationships between stand density and abundance of U. longissima. The aim of this thesis has been to investigate whether the same relationship is found in Sweden and to determine the optimum level of stand density. The study area (1.4 ha) was divided into a grid with 48 circular plots (10-m radius). Stand density was measured as basal area (m²/ha) using a relascope and abundance of U. longissima was measured as the length of the longest thallus present on the tree nearest the plot center. Usnea longissima was found in 42 plots (mean thallus length of 37 cm). The regression analyses between length of U. longissima and basal area showed that the relationship was not significant (R²=0.082, P=0.066), and tended to be linear rather than unimodal. However, plots with U. longissima had significantly lower basal area (30.4 m²/ha) than plots without the lichen (35.1 m²/ha). The basal area in U. longissima plots was higher than in Norwegian studies, but similar to other Swedish sites. Thus, my results correspond well with earlier studies that have documented higher basal area in U. longissima-locations in Västernorrland than in more oceanic areas in Norway. Thereby a basal area around 27-35 m²/ha seems most favorable for U. longissima in the study area. The lichen cannot develop large populations in dense stands, indicating that management operations to reduce the basal area might be needed in such stands.

Usnea hirta and Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia are commonly used as bio-monitors of air quality. In order to more accurately and efficiently determine the distribution of these two sensitive indicator species, we have developed a probabilistic distribution map as a function of 9 macroclimatic and topographic variables for the White River National Forest, Colorado using Non-Parametric Multiplicative Regression (NPMR) analysis. Furthermore, we also developed a logistic regression (LR) model for X. cumberlandia in order to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the NPMR model. The best model for U. hirta included four variables - solar radiation, average monthly precipitation, average monthly minimum and maximum temperature (log β = 3.68). The presence rate for U. hirta based on field validated test sites was 45.5%, 65.4%, and 70.4% for low, medium, and high probability areas, respectively. The best model for X. cumberlandia generated by both NPMR and LR involved the same variables - solar radiation, average monthly maximum temperature, average monthly precipitation, and elevation as the best predictor variables (log β = 5.10). The occurrence rate for X. cumberlandia using the NPMR model was 32%, 44.4%, and 20% for the low, medium, and high probability areas respectively while the LR model had 26%, 50%, and 38% for low, medium and high probability areas respectively. Although the LR model predicted a smaller high probability area compared to the NPMR model there was substantial overlap between the two. The U. hirta model performed better than the X. cumberlandia model. The reduced performance of our model especially for X. cumberlandia may be due in part to the absence of field measured data in the development of the model. Our study also suggested that the northeast and western part of the forest should be preferentially considered for establishing future air quality bio-monitoring reference sites. Finally, in the future a well defined sampling design with sufficient sampling sites, field measured predictor variables, and microclimatic data should be used in the development of predictive models.

The Swedish forestry and the use of clearcutting models has resulted in great losses of older forests in Sweden, resulting in several species being affected negatively. Hair lichens are important organisms that are providing several ecological functions in forest ecosystems and are declining due to being associated with older forests with high continuity. This study investigates the occurrence and dispersal ability of the genus Alectoria, Bryoria and Usnea between older forests and young secondary forests in three different areas in Storuman municipality, Västerbotten county. Bryoria were found on all trees in all forest patches, both in the old and young forest patches, while Alectoria had much lower occurrence in the young secondary forest. Usnea had no observed pattern in occurrence between the different areas. The average length of the lichens, here used as a proxy for lichen biomass, showed a statistical difference in biomass between areas for genera Bryoria and Usnea. The genera Alectoria showed a difference in biomass between areas, distance to closest older forest and the interaction between these two. Therefore, this study suggests that Alectoria is limited in dispersal in these areas. Some of the results could be explained by distribution and dispersal ability of the studied genera. To further evaluate the differences seen in occurrence and biomass between the genera and the different areas more studies are needed. This could provide important information for sustainable forestry that favors lichens and benefits reindeer husbandry.

L’étude physicochimique de trois lichens récoltés en Limousin, Usnea florida, Flavoparmelia caperata et Cladonia incrassata, a permis d’isoler et de caractériser 16 composés issus du métabolisme secondaire. Dans un premier temps, ces lichens ont été sélectionnés lors d’un criblage analytique préliminaire réalisé sur 17 espèces. L’activité antimicrobienne des extraits acétoniques a été évaluée, puis leur fractionnement bioguidé a été mis en œuvre. Les deux isomères de l’acide usnique, 3 dibenzofuranes, 4 depsides, 3 depsidones, un acide aliphatique, un phtalide et un stérol ont été isolés. Une xanthone trichlorée, la cladoxanthone A, a été extraite et identifiée pour la première fois à partir d’une source naturelle. L’effet de tous les composés a été évalué sur Staphyloccocus aureus par bioautographie. Pour les produits isolés en quantité suffisante, des tests de dilution en milieu liquide ont permis de déterminer leurs CMI, en comparaison avec le Phénonip®, conservateur couramment utilisé dans l’industrie cosmétique. Les acides didymique et condidymique en particulier s’avèrent être de bons candidats pour une utilisation en tant que conservateurs. Dans un second temps, compte tenu de leur potentielle application industrielle, nous avons exploré des voies de synthèse de l’acide usnique et de la cladoxanthone A. Ainsi, la préparation de l’intermédiaire clé pour l’accès à l’acide usnique a été optimisée et les premiers essais de couplage en présence d’une porphyrine sont encourageants. De même, les voies de synthèse proposées et mises en œuvre pour la cladoxanthone A sont prometteuses. / Phytochemical study of three lichens collected in Limousin, Usnea florida, Flavoparmelia caperata and Cladonia incrassata, led to the isolation and the structural identification of 16 secondary metabolites. First, these lichens were chosen after a preliminary screening performed on 17 species. Antimicrobial activity of acetone extracts was evaluated and bioassay-guided fractionation was performed. The two isomers of usnic acid, 3 dibenzofurans, 4 depsides, 3 depsidones, one aliphatic acid and one sterol were isolated. A trichlorinated xanthone, named cladoxanthone A, was extracted and identified for the first time in a natural source. A bioautographic protocol was used to evaluate antibacterial activities of these compounds on Staphylococcus aureus. MICs of the products obtained in sufficient amounts were determined by a broth microdilution method in parallel with Phenonip®, a preservative commonly used in cosmetic industry. Didymic and condidymic acids were found to be good candidates for use as preservatives. Secondly, owing to their potential industrial application, we explored synthetic routes for usnic acid and cladoxanthone A. Thus, the preparation of the key intermediate for access to usnic acid was optimized and the first coupling tests in the presence of a porphyrin were encouraging. Similarly, the proposed synthetic routes for cladoxanthone A are promising.