Lichens
Lichens
The GSMNP is extremely rich in lichens. I will continue my previous work aiming at finding so many bark and rock lichens as possible that are new to science or at least new to the park. I will focus on sterile, crustose species on tree bark and on rock overhangs. Good material from several localities is needed to make good descriptions of lichens that are new to science. It is necessary to carry out field work in as many habitats as possible in all parts of the park to learn about the variation and ecology of the species. The dust lichens (Lepraria) have a diversity center in the park. They can easily be seen on bark and rock surfaces from trails throughout the park. Several of them have no name, i.e., they are not yet described. A key will be made for sterile bark lichens.
19 days (in June and in September) were spent in the field in 2006. I focused on crustose lichens on bark, wood, rock overhangs, and on leaves of evergreens. Five genera and 13 species of lichens were found new to the park. Since I submitted my last DLIA-report (spring 2006) two papers have been published dealing with park lichens. High lichen diversity habitats include: rock overhangs, high elevation coniferous forests, hardwood forests at Cataloochee, Cades Cove, the Purchase, and moist Rhododendro thickets near streams and rivers .
