PJB-2018-437
DIVERSITY AND ECOLOGICAL STRATEGIES OF LICHENS IN HIMALAYAN REGION OF DISTRICT ABBOTTABAD, NEW RECORDS TO PAKISTAN.
Summaira Shaheen
Abstract
Abstract
As a commitment to the advancement of a national, delegate overview of lichens diversity; the lichen biota of the Abbottabad District in the Himalayan mountains physio geographic region of Pakistan was scrutinized in 2015. Lichen specimens were collected preserved, mounted on herbarium sheets, labeled, cataloged and deposited with voucher numbers in Hazara University Herbarium, Mansehra, Pakistan (HUP). The total lichen diversity of foliose, fruticose, crustose, vegetative and generative species was calculated. α-Diversity (species density, species richness) was calculated in terms of region with their distribution. Survival strategies of 92 species from a range of growth forms, substrate and climates were examined. Statistically significant relationships between family affiliation, growth form, substratum preference, mode of asexual reproduction and survival strategy have been proved. Frequency data of the lichen taxa observed are depicted by the log series model, signifying the controlling effect of few ecological factors. For novel records lichens were checked with previously published articles. A reckoning of 92 species (including 49 new records for Pakistan) belonging to 42 genera and 24 families. Crustose lichens show dominance with 57 species followed by foliose (27), fruticose (5). 51% species are epiphytic, 29% saxicolous, 8% terricolous and other 8% are those which have the two substrates. Parmeliaceae is dominant with 14 species, followed by lecanoraceae (13) and ramalinaceae (10). Four classes of scarcity common 52%, moderately common 24%, rare 11% and very rare 9% were recognized. Specific features along the altitudinal gradient of vegetation belts emerged. The percentage of crustose and generative lichens declined with each altitudinal advance, expanded in fruticose, foliose and vegetative lichens. The current study revealed the importance to document and launch list of all possible lichen flora of study area. The accessible data with respect to lichen diversity of Pakistan gives benchmark information which will be helpful for future explorations.
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