The substrate preferences of epiphytic Lepraria species in old-growth forests in Estonia

Abstract

The study is based on herbarium specimens from the lichenological herbarium of the Natural History Museum of University of Tartu (TU). Altogether about 260 specimens were examined. Eight Lepraria species were found: L. borealis, L. eburnea, L. elobata, L. incana, L. jackii, L. lobificans, L. umbricola and L. vouauxii. Statistically significant substrate preferences were discovered both on generic and species levels using Chi-square test and Dufrene-Legendre indicator species analyses. On the genus level, norway spruce was favoured as a substrate. L. incana was shown to prefer norway spruce, L. elobata and L. lobificans the bark of deciduous trees and L. jackii was not associated with any substrate group analysed. L. borealis, L. eburnea, L. umbricola and L. vouauxii did not show any affinities in this study, probably due to low number of records.