Lichens are a nearly ubiquitous group of epiphytes in subtropical forests.To assess changes in the epiphyte communities of the subtropical forests, Prof. Liu Wenyao and his research team of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) compared the differences in biomass, species diversity and community structure of epiphytic lichens in four subtropical forest types.

The study was conducted in the Xujiaba region, a core area of the Ailao Mountains National Nature Reserve, covering 5100 ha on the northern crest of the Ailao Mountains in central-southern Yunnan (23°35′–24°44′ N, 100°54′–101°30′ E).

Epiphytic macrolichen litterfall was collected over 3 years from primary evergreen broad-leaved forests (PF), Populus bonatii secondary forests (PBSF), middle-aged oak secondary forests (MOSF) and old-aged oak secondary forests (OOSF) of the Ailao Mountains in SW China.

The study found that higher biomass, more indicators and more rare species occurred in middle-aged oak secondary forest. Canopy openness, the largest trees and the diversity of host trees were important factors influencing epiphytic lichen communities.

Indicator species analysis determined that 19 indicators can be used in environmental monitoring of the study region. Moreover, forest landscape mosaic may be an important practice to promote lichen community.

The research entitled “Biomass, diversity and composition of epiphytic macrolichens in primary and secondary forests in the subtropical Ailao Mountains, SW China” has been published inForest Ecology and Management, 261 (11):1760-1770, doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.01.037 .

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112711000697