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The effect of agriculture management and fire on epiphytic lichens on holm oak trees in the eastern Iberian Peninsula

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2015

Isaac GARRIDO-BENAVENT
Affiliation:
Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. Email: igbenavent@mncn.csic.es
Esteve LLOP
Affiliation:
Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. Email: igbenavent@mncn.csic.es
Antonio GÓMEZ-BOLEA
Affiliation:
Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. Email: igbenavent@mncn.csic.es

Abstract

For a long time, agriculture and recurrent fires have been the main factors promoting diversity changes in Mediterranean areas. We examined the effect of irrigated and non-irrigated crops and fires on the epiphytic lichen diversity of holm oak trees in the Vall d'Albaida region (Valencia, Spain). Lichen diversity was studied by calculating the LDV (Lichen Diversity Value) and the proportion of functional groups. No significant differences were observed between areas located near irrigated or non-irrigated crops. Fire-affected areas tended to harbour lower LDV and species richness than those influenced by agriculture. By using lichen functional groups, it has been shown that eutrophication tolerance, substratum pH affinity and, to some extent, thallus growth form are the main factors driving epiphytic lichen diversity in this rural area.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © British Lichen Society 2015 

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