PJB-2018-98
DIVERSITY OF LICHENS IN HIMALAYAN REGION OF DISTRICT ABBOTTABAD, NEW RECORDS TO PAKISTAN.
Summaira Shaheen
Abstract
Abstract The lichen biota of the Abbottabad Districts in the mountains physio geographic locale of Pakistan was examined in 2015. An enumeration of 92 species belonging to 42 genera and 24 families of lichens from District Abbottabad, Pakistan is provided. Among the different growth forms of lichen, the area exhibits dominance of both crustose and foliose lichens represented by 57 and 27 species respectively, while 5 Fruticose, 1 squamules and 1 Leprose. According to their substrate 51% are epiphytic, 29% saxicolous, 8% terricolous. Other 8% are those which have both substrates stones (saxicolous) as well as trees (corticolous); 2 % are on soil (Terricolous) and trees and 2 % are both Terricolous, Saxicolous. All saxicolous lichens were calciphilic while the corticolous lichens were acidophilic. The members of family Parmeliaceae exhibit their dominance with 14 species, followed by Lecanoraceae (13 species) and Ramalinaceae (10 species). Species of the lichen genera Lecanora, Caloplaca and Bacidia dominates the area with 13, 7 and 7 species respectively. The most common and dominant species is Flavoparmelia caperata, found in 16 locations out of 19 investigating points. 92 species are first time reported from study area and 49 species are new records for Pakistan. The available information regarding lichen diversity of Pakistan provides baseline data which will be useful for future studies.
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