ABSTRACT
Aim: Epiphytic lichens are biological indicators, which can give information about the environmental changes of the ecosystem. The differences in richness and community compositions of lichens can indicate the environmental quality of their location. This study was done in order to examine the possible differences in richness and in community composition of lichens that may have occurred in the research area, Kurşunlu Waterfall Nature Park and surroundings.Methodology: Kurşunlu Waterfall Nature Park and surroundings was divided into 4 sections; natural area near brook, natural pine forest area, planted pine forest area and agricultural greenhouses area. The study was planned to focus on epiphytic lichens living on Pinus brutia Ten. trees. European Guideline, which is a standardized method to assess lichen diversity (LDV) on tree bark for monitoring environmental stress, was used for monitoring quality of four different environmental conditions with lichens. In order to determine the differences of lichen community composition of these four conditions, some statistical analyses were performed. Results: Lichen richness of planted pine forest area was found poorer and statistically different than the other areas. In addition, the lichen community composition of natural pine forest area was found significantly different than the agricultural greenhouse area and the natural area near brook, partly different than the planted pine forest area. Statistical evaluations indicate that the natural pine forest area had natural or semi-natural habitat characteristics and there was no or less eutrophication in this region. Also it showed that other areas were affected by the presence of human damage and eutrophic pollution load in the environment. This eutrophic pollution load was related to non-ecological agriculture applications around the park. Interpretation: This study proves that epiphytic lichens change their community composition by adapting to changes in environmental conditions. Also this study showed that lichens are strong indicators of environmental quality.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT The larvicidal activity of the methanol extract, fractions and compounds 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-6-propyl-methyl benzoate and (+)-usnic acid identified from the lichen Ramalina usnea (L.) R. Howe, Ramalinaceae, was tested against the third instar larvae of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The methanol extract and three fractions showed activity, killing 100% and 96.6% of the larvae at a concentration of 150 µg/ml at 24 h. The isolated compounds, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-6-propyl-methyl benzoate and the (+)-usnic acid showed larvicidal activity, presenting LC50 values of 4.85 and 4.48 µg/ml, respectively. This is the first study of its kind reporting the larvicidal activity against the A. aegypti mosquito with compound (1).
ABSTRACT
A new species and 2 new records of lichen genus Buellia were discovered from Chuja-do Island in Jeju Province during a recent floristic survey: B. chujana X. Y. Wang, S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös & J.-S. Hur sp. nov., B. halonia (Ach.) Tuck., and B. mamillana (Tuck.) W. A. Weber. The new species is characterized by a brown, areolate thallus, the presence of perlatolic acid, and a saxicolous habitat. Together with previously recorded species, 10 Buellia species were confirmed from Jeju-do Island. Among these species, 3 growing in the exposed rocky area contained xanthone (yellowish lichen thallus, UV + orange), indicating that production of xanthone in this genus might be a defense strategy against the harm of UV light. Although the genus Buellia has been thoroughly studied in Korea before, novel species have been discovered continuously, and large species diversity has been found in this crustose genus, even from a small rocky island. This study indicates that the coastal area harbors a vast number of crustose lichen species, and there is great potential to discover unknown lichens in the coastal rocky area in Korea.
Subject(s)
Classification , Ecosystem , Korea , Lichens , Ultraviolet RaysABSTRACT
The paper describes nine new records of macro- and micro-lichens from Korea. A brief taxonomic description and comments are presented for all the studied taxa (Catapyrenium squamellum, Chrysothrix candelaris, Endocarpon pallidulum, Endocarpon petrolepideum, Lecanora oreinoides, Leprocaulon albicans, Parmotrema saccatilobum, Verrucaria glaucina and Xanthoria parietina). The lichen genera Catapyrenium, Chrysothrix and Verrucaria are reported for the first time in this country.
Subject(s)
Korea , LichensABSTRACT
The paper describes two new records of micro-lichens from South Korea. Detailed taxonomic descriptions and comments are presented for both of the studied taxa. The lichen genus Thelotrema is reported for the first time in Korea.