Abstract: This review is a first attempt to combine and compare spatial distribution of the three main water sources, rain, dew and humid air, with water-related traits of mainly epiphytic macrolichens in a conceptual and functional model. By comparing climatic and lichenological knowledge, various effects of dewfall, rainfall and humid air on epiphytic lichen morphology and function are analyzed to search for traits and patterns. Although dew, rain and humid air cause lichen hydration and activate photosynthesis, these atmospheric hydration sources influence and shape lichens differently. In order to visualize hydration patterns, dew, rain and humid air are shown as corners in a triangle exhibiting the various combinations of these hydration sources. The sources of hydration vary on temporal scales, and on the spatial scales: regional, landscape, stand and tree. Lichen growth form, photobiont type, water-holding capacity (WHC) and suprasaturation depression show clear patterns within the hydration triangle. For most lichen species, one average pre-dawn dewfall approximately fills their average internal WHC. This suggests that lichens are optimally designed to utilize dew rather than rain, consistent with literature emphasizing dew as a driver for annual C-assimilation in chlorolichens. However, rain is needed to fill their external WHC and to fully hydrate most cyanolichens. Including the sources of hydration and internal lichen variables, such as water-holding capacity, will improve modelling of local and global future scenarios on lichen distribution and biomass production.

Abstract: This research presents the data on concentrations of 28 chemical elements in the ash of lichens growing in Tomsk Oblast where different industrial enterprises are located. In the sites of oil and gas exploration complex the lichens contain higher concentrations of Sc, Fe, Cr, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Ba, and Au in comparison with the background values. In the zone of Tomsk- Seversk industrial agglomeration the lichens accumulate Ca, Sr, Sb, Th, U, and lanthanides.

Abstract: The number of Fungi is estimated at between 1.5 and 3 million. Lichenized species are thought to make up a comparatively small portion of this figure, with unrecognized species richness hidden among little-studied, tropical microlichens. Recent findings, however, suggest that some macrolichens contain a large number of unrecognized taxa, increasing known species richness by an order of magnitude or more. Here we report the existence of at least 126 species in what until recently was believed to be a single taxon: the basidiolichen fungus Dictyonema glabratum, also known as Cora pavonia. Notably, these species are not cryptic but morphologically distinct. A predictive model suggests an even larger number, with more than 400 species. These results call into question species concepts in presumably well-known macrolichens and demonstrate the need for accurately documenting such species richness, given the importance of these lichens in endangered ecosystems such as paramos and the alarming potential for species losses throughout the tropics.

Abstract: Fungi are abundant and functionally important in the Arctic, yet comprehensive studies of their diversity in relation to geography and environment are not available. We sampled soils in paired plots along the North American Arctic Transect (NAAT), which spans all five bioclimatic subzones of the Arctic. Each pair of plots contrasted relatively bare, cryoturbated patterned-ground features (PGFs) and adjacent vegetated between patterned-ground features (bPGFs). Fungal communities were analysed via sequencing of 7834 ITS-LSU clones. We recorded 1834 OTUs – nearly half the fungal richness previously reported for the entire Arctic. These OTUs spanned eight phyla, 24 classes, 75 orders and 120 families, but were dominated by Ascomycota, with one-fifth belonging to lichens. Species richness did not decline with increasing latitude, although there was a decline in mycorrhizal taxa that was offset by an increase in lichen taxa. The dominant OTUs were widespread even beyond the Arctic, demonstrating no dispersal limitation. Yet fungal communities were distinct in each subzone and were correlated with soil pH, climate and vegetation. Communities in subzone E were distinct from the other subzones, but similar to those of the boreal forest. Fungal communities on disturbed PGFs differed significantly from those of paired stable areas in bPGFs. Indicator species for PGFs included lichens and saprotrophic fungi, while bPGFs were characterized by ectomycorrhizal and pathogenic fungi. Our results suggest that the Arctic does not host a unique mycoflora, while Arctic fungi are highly sensitive to climate and vegetation, with potential to migrate rapidly as global change unfolds.

Abstract: Modern silviculture has led to a reduction in deadwood, especially that of large diameter, and thus the loss of an important habitat niche in most European forests. We analyzed the significance of deadwood for the total species diversity in three plant groups (bryophytes, lichens, and vascular plants) in one of Central Europe’s few remnants of unmanaged old-growth forest. The site is a montane forest of Picea abies on Mt. Brocken, Harz Mountains, Germany, which has not been managed for at least several centuries, undergoes natural forest dynamics, and thus harbors large amounts of standing and downed deadwood. Epiphyte vegetation of live trees and the ground vegetation were studied for comparison. We did not find any obligate deadwood species. Nevertheless, 84 % (70 species) of the total species were found on standing or downed deadwood. One-third of these species, or 28 % of the total species in the forest, were only sampled on deadwood, whereas the remaining species were also found on live trees and/or the ground. Bryophytes were the largest group of species on deadwood (47 % of the deadwood-inhabiting species), followed by lichens (37 %) and vascular plants (16 %). Large-diameter deadwood in an advanced stage of decay harbored more species than smaller fragments in the early stages of decay. Despite the lack of obligate deadwood colonizers, deadwood apparently plays a key role for forest plant diversity, mainly by providing an environment with low competition and thus facilitating the establishment of species.

Abstract: Biological soil crusts (BSC) live in the upper millimeters of the soil and are composed of bacteria, algae, fungi, lichens, and bryophytes in different proportions. They occur in arid environments of the Earths or wherever an arid microclimate is realized. BSCs increase soil stability, resistance to erosion, and soil fertility. While for single groups of soil inhabiting cryptogams (including bacteria) a number of studies exist, the concept of biological soil crusts is not well established for Antarctica yet. Here we summarize knowledge about Antarctic BSCs from our own work and from literature, the latter being especially searched for descriptions of photoautotrophic communities that can be interpreted as BSCs.

Abstract: Biological soil crusts (BSCs) provide important ecosystem services in dryland regions, including erosion control and contribution to nitrogen and CO2 fixation. As soil microorganisms are still rarely studied within the context of biodiversity planning, we describe, as a contribution to the Soil Crust International project, an approach that addresses this gap in biodiversity assessments. The purpose of the present study was a characterization of prokaryotic communities of BSCs formed by two species of lichenized fungi, Psora decipiens and Toninia sedifolia, in relation to surrounding BSCs and the below-crust soil layer from Tabernas basin (Almeria, Spain). Microbial community profiles were determined using 454 pyrosequencing targeting the V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene. The majority of the 65,497 sequences obtained belonged to Proteobacteria (mainly Alphaproteobacteria), Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria were more abundant at the soil surface but rare in below-crust soils, whilst below-crust soils harbored significantly more Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Gemmatimonadetes, Planctomycetes and Armatimonadetes. Additionally, terricolous lichens were investigated using fluorescence in situ hybridization in conjunction with confocal laser scanning microscopy, the objective being to illustrate bacterial niches in BSC-forming lichens. Bacteria were mainly present at the upper cortex of the squamules and attachment organs. Our findings indicate that the composition of soil prokaryotes varies at a small scale not only in adjacent soil layers but also in BSC-forming lichen species. Furthermore, bacteria were shown to be attached to fungal structures, probably representing a case of fungal-bacterial interaction.

Abstract: According to recent research, bacteria contribute as recurrent associates to the lichen symbiosis. Yet, the variation of the microbiomes within species and across geographically separated populations remained largely elusive. As a quite common dispersal mode, lichens evolved vertical transmission of both fungal and algal partners in specifically designed mitotic propagules. Bacteria, if co-transmitted with these symbiotic propagules, could contribute to a geographical structure of lichen-associated microbiomes. The lung lichen was sampled from three localities in eastern Austria to analyse their associated bacterial communities by bar-coded pyrosequencing, network analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization. For the first time, bacteria were documented to colonize symbiotic propagules of lichens developed for short-distance transmission of the symbionts. The propagules share the overall bacterial community structure with the thalli at class level, except for filamentous Cyanobacteria (Nostocophycideae), and with Alphaproteobacteria as predominant group. All three sampling sites share a core fraction of the microbiome. Bacterial communities of lichen thalli from the same sampling site showed higher similarity than those of distant populations. This variation and the potential co-dispersal of a microbiome fraction with structures of the host organism contribute new aspects to the 'everything is everywhere' hypothesis.

Abstract: Question: Does eutrophication drive vegetation change in pine forests on nutrient deficient sites and thus lead to the homogenization of understorey species composition? Location: Forest area (1600 ha) in the Lower Spreewald, Brandenburg, Germany. Methods: Resurvey of 77 semi-permanent plots after 45 yr, including vascular plants, bryophytes and ground lichens. We applied multidimensional ordination of species composition, dissimilarity indices, mean Ellenberg indicator values and the concept of winner/loser species to identify vegetation change between years. Differential responses along a gradient of nutrient availability were analysed on the basis of initial vegetation type, reflecting topsoil N availability of plots. Results: Species composition changed strongly and overall shifted towards higher N and slightly lower light availability. Differences in vegetation change were related to initial vegetation type, with strongest compositional changes in the oligotrophic forest type, but strongest increase of nitrophilous species in the mesotrophic forest type. Despite an overall increase in species number, species composition was homogenized between study years due to the loss of species (mainly ground lichens) on the most oligotrophic sites. Conclusions: The response to N enrichment is confounded by canopy closure on the N-richest sites and probably by water limitation on N-poorest sites. The relative importance of atmospheric N deposition in the eutrophication effect is difficult to disentangle from natural humus accumulation after historical litter raking. However, the profound differences in species composition between study years across all forest types suggest that atmospheric N deposition contributes to the eutrophication, which drives understorey vegetation change and biotic homogenization in Central European Scots pine forests on nutrient deficient sites.

Abstract: Summary Unlike most other green algae, trebouxiophyceans are predominantly aerophytic and contain many symbiotic representatives. In recent years, a number of new terrestrial trebouxiophycean taxa were described from soils, tree bark, and lichens. The present phylogenetic study reveals three new lineages of free-living trebouxiophyceans found in North American desert soil crusts and proposes new generic names to accommodate them: Desertella, Eremochloris, and Xerochlorella. This survey of desert isolates also led to discovery of representatives of seven existing genera of trebouxiophyceans. Two of these genera have never been reported to contain desert representatives and one was known previously only from aquatic habitats. Furthermore, we expand the known geographic range of the recently described genus Chloropyrula, heretofore only known from the Ural Mountains. We demonstrate that the diversity of trebouxiophyceans is still underestimated and poorly understood, and that most major trebouxiophycean lineages contain desert-dwelling taxa.

Abstract: Summary 1. In this work, we hypothesized that in urban areas with reduced pollution levels, local climatic conditions can be an important driver of lichen diversity. Thus, lichen functional groups could be used to study the effects of the urban heat island, characterized by higher temperature and lower humidity in urban than in peri-urban areas. To test this hypothesis, we sampled functional groups of epiphytic lichens in 48 forest remnants of a Mediterranean urban area (Almada, Portugal). 2. Of all tested functional groups (including those most closely associated with air pollution), groups related to water requirements showed the most significant correlations with surrounding artificial areas, roads and forest. These results suggest that the current major driver of lichen diversity is the climate within the urban area rather than air pollution, as frequently assumed. 3. The analysis of local climate using meteorological data of temperature and humidity confirmed the existence of urban heat island in the study area. 4. Synthesis and applications. The analysis of lichen functional groups gave an integrated response to the climatic modifications occurring in urban areas, namely to the urban heat island, suggesting that lichens can be used as a tool to evaluate the impact of urban areas on local climate and the effectiveness of mitigation and adaptation strategies if pollution levels are low.

Abstract: The diversity and physiological characteristics of culturable bacteria associated with lichens from different habitats of the Arctic and Antarctica were investigated. The 68 retrieved isolates could be grouped on the basis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences into 26 phylotypes affiliated with the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Deinococcus-Thermus, and Firmicutes and with the classes Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. Isolates belonging to the Alphaproteobacteria were the most abundant, followed by those belonging to Actinobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Deinococcus-Thermus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that approximately 21 % of the total isolates represented a potentially novel species or genus (≤97 % sequence similarity). Strains belonging to the genera Sphingomonas, Frondihabitans, Hymenobacter, and Burkholderia were recovered from lichen samples from both geographic locations, implying common and important bacterial functions within lichens. Extracellular protease activities were detected in six isolates, affiliated with Burkholderia, Frondihabitans, Hymenobacter, Pseudomonas, and Rhodanobacter. Extracellular lipase activities were detected in 37 isolates of the genera Burkholderia, Deinococcus, Frondihabitans, Pseudomonas, Rhodanobacter, Sphingomonas, and Subtercola. This is the first report on the culturable bacterial diversity present within lichens from Arctic and Antarctica and the isolates described herein are valuable resources to decode the functional and ecological roles of bacteria within lichens. In addition, the low similarity (≤97 %) of the recovered isolates to known species and their production of cold-active enzymes together suggest that lichens are noteworthy sources of novel bacterial strains for use in biotechnological applications.

Abstract: The present study was undertaken with the aim of using epiphytic lichens as sentinels for air pollution at two remote alpine sites (1,400 and 1,800 m above sea level (asl)) of NW Italy The results indicated that the site at 1,800 m prompted for early warning indications of biological changes Although levels of the many elements assayed in samples of the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea (L) Zopf, ranging from minor elements (eg, Al) to ultra-trace (eg, Pt), were at normal levels, indications of a slowly worsening environment were given by the lichen biodiversity and by damage to cell membranes The analysis of Pb isotopic ratios suggested that the origin of Pb accumulated in lichens is not local, but linked to the long-range transport by air masses It was concluded that the origin of pollutants is from air mass coming from the Po plain of Italy and from densely populated areas of Switzerland and France

Abstract: Old-growth forests are natural biocoenoses, which developed and function without apparent impacts of human activity, which are adjusted to their habitats and remain in perfect biocoenotic equilibrium. In a forest environment there occurs a high diversity of seminal and cryptogamic plants and fungi, including lichenized fungi (lichens). The disappearance of old-growth forests affected by human activity or their strong fragmentation and isolation are the greatest danger for numerous typically forest lichens. On the basis of selected lichens - indicators of old-growth forests we undertook an attempt at detecting well-preserved lowland areas, which are at present biocentres of typically forest species. The most important features of indicatory species were considered the following: they are native species growing exclusively in forest communities; they are permanent components of forest biocoenoses, while their biological-ecological properties are adjusted to the phytoclimate and biotopes of forest environment; they inhabit specific forest habitats; they are typical epiphytes and epixylites inhabiting old live trees and dead wood of various stages of decomposition; they do not grow in managed forests. A total of 71 species that will serve the function of obligatory indicators (IND) of old-growth forests were selected for Poland's natural lowland forests (see Table 1). 53 of these species are presently strongly threatened, possessing the status of the Red List Categories (CR, EN and VU). The following 10 forest areas were evaluated: Bialowieza National Park (58 IND), the reserves of Budzisk (34 IND), and Starozyn (29 IND) in North-Eastern Poland, reserves of Borki (29 IND), Las Warminski (17 IND) and Krutynia (18 IND) in Northern Poland, and the reserves of Spala (15 IND), Zagozdzon (13 IND), Biale Ługi (10 IND) and Żyznow (4 IND) in Central Poland (Table 2). The highest number of old-growth forests occur in the Bialowieza National Park (84%). This value indicates that the Bialowieza Ntional Park may now be considered a model comparitive object, the biocentre of epiphytic and epixylic forest species of old-growth forests representing the total ecological amplitude of biodiversity and occupied habitats. In all the 10 biocentres there occur 66 indicatory species of old-growth forests, the highest number of which, ca 88%, occur in the Bialowieza National Park, while 51.5% in the Budzisk reserve in the Knyszynska Forest.

Abstract: Effective dispersal is crucial to species inhabiting transient substrates in order for them to be able to persist in a landscape. Bryophytes, pteridophytes, lichens and fungi all have wind-disperse ...

Abstract: Roles of intensive reindeer grazing and several additional land use factors in the reduction in ground lichens (Cladonia spp.) in pastures grazed by the semi-domesticated reindeer have been argued in Finland. Our analysis showed that several factors and processes explain the standing biomass of lichens (during 2005–2008) and the recent changes in this biomass (after 1995–1996) on lichen pastures located in the 20 northernmost herding districts in Finland. The higher the long-term reindeer densities on the lichen pastures the lower was the lichen biomass. The lichen biomass was also strongly affected by the grazing system; the lowest biomass values of lichens were measured in all grazing areas that were used in the snow-free seasons. The lichen biomass in pine forests less than 80 years old and in all mountain type lichen pastures was lower than that in mature and old pine forests. The lichen biomass also decreased as the proportion of arboreal lichen pastures within a district decreased and the proportion of human infrastructure increased. The aerial drift of heavy metals from the Kola Peninsula appeared to reduce lichens in a small north-eastern part of the study area. Increases in summer precipitation and winter temperatures increased the amount of lichens, but increases in summer temperatures and winter precipitation had the opposite effect. Reindeer densities, grazing system, pasture type and the previous abiotic factors were also associated with the reduction in lichen biomass between the inventories. We conclude that several local, regional and even global factors and processes affect the state of reindeer pastures in large and complex grazing ecosystems. Therefore, more comprehensive research and management strategies for the entire reindeer herding environment are needed.

Abstract: Reindeer husbandry and forestry are practiced in the same areas in northern Fennoscandia. Reindeer pastures have largely deteriorated. We aimed to quantify the separate and combined effects of reindeer grazing and forestry on the amount of ground lichens. To do this, we mapped and inventoried all larger enclosures (49) in Finnish Lapland where forest management practices were similar in both sides of the fence. The average time since fencing was 43 years. We recorded the cover and estimated dry biomass of ground lichens, as well as parameters describing forest stand characteristics. The effect of reindeer grazing on both the cover and estimated dry biomass of

Abstract: This study aims to quantify dispersal of airborne traffic-related elemental pollutants and concurring responses – relative growth rate (RGR), maximal quantum yield of PSII (F v/F m), and chlorophylls (Chl ab) – in four epiphytic lichens (Lobaria pulmonaria, Parmelia sulcata, Ramalina farinacea, Usnea dasopoga). Lichens were transplanted from 25 September to 26 March to 1·5 m tall stands in open farmlands at 10, 15, 30, 50 and 100 m from the E6 highway (SE Norway), along three transects on each side usnea dasopoga of the road. The concentrations of most elements (Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Al, Zn, Ba, Cu, V, Cr, Ni, Co, Sn, As, Mo) significantly increased with increasing proximity to the road. Elements in bold had elevated concentrations relative to controls, at least in some species at 100 m. The heavy metal accumulation increased from foliose to fruticose lichens in the order: P. sulcata>L. pulmonaria>R. farinacea≫U. dasopoga. However, L. pulmonaria was the only species with strong pollutant-dependent reductions in growth, F v/F m, Chl ab, and Chl a/b-ratio. The RGR and viability parameters were adversely affected by the roadside environment near the road only (≤15 m), and only after substantial heavy metal accumulation. Measurement of metal accumulation in lichens is thus a far more sensitive way of monitoring road pollutants than recording growth and lichen viability. Despite strong species-specific contrasts in elemental concentrations, most road pollutant elements responded similarly to distance from the road in all species.

Abstract: Soil biocrusts are assemblages of cyanobacteria, lichens, and mosses ubiquitous to arid and semi-arid (dryland) systems that offer an array of ecosystem services. Soil crust mosses are taxonomically diverse, account for up to 30 % of crust cover, and offer large contributions to crust biogeochemical functionality, yet remain the least understood component of the community. Because of selective pressures of their growth environment, such species are highly desiccation tolerant, with the ability to withstand the loss of most cellular water for extended periods of time, during which metabolism is suspended. Biocrust mosses can also tolerate larger ranges of temperature, light, and cellular water content than mesic species, yet still remain sensitive to certain aspects of environmental alteration. For one, changes in precipitation regime are likely to heavily influence survival in dryland mosses. Rainfall, occurring as discrete periods of hydration in dryland systems, causes mosses to undergo wet-dry cycles that result in either a positive or a negative carbon balance. Carbon balance can be used as a measure of performance during individual rainfall events, and is a metric for long-term viability. Recent work suggests rainfall event magnitude plays a large role in carbon balance, as does the frequency and seasonality with which events fall. Biocrust mosses are stimulated by elevated CO2, yet may not acclimate photosynthetically to long-term enrichment. Interestingly, elevated CO2 may favor stress tolerance at the expense of growth in biocrust moss, particularly at high temperatures. Finally, despite low annual growth rates, nitrogen appears to place physiological limitations on reproductive biology of biocrust mosses. High levels of nitrogen deposition, however, have been shown to cause toxicity, competitive exclusion by vascular plants, and can reduce cyanosymbioses.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to assess biological colonization of wooden and brick buildings in the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp, and to identify the organisms colonizing the examined buildings. Microbiological analysis did not reveal increased microbial activity, and the total microbial count of the barrack surfaces did not exceed 103 CFU/100 cm2. However, certain symptoms of biodegradation of the buildings were observed. The predominant microflora consisted of bacteria of the genera Bacillus, Sporosarcina, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Streptomyces, and Staphylococcus, as well as fungi of the genera Acremonium, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Humicola, Penicillium, and Chaetomium. The microflora patterns varied both in wooden and brick buildings. The structural elements of wooden and brick barracks, and especially of the floors and lower parts of bathroom walls, were infected by cyanobacteria and algae, with the most numerous being cyanobacteria of the genera Scytonema, Chroococcus, Gloeothece, Leptolyngbya, diatoms of the genus Diadesmis, and chlorophytes of the genera Chlorella and Apatococcus. The outer surfaces of the examined buildings were primarily colonized by lichens and bryophytes, with nearly 30 species identified. The dominant species of lichens belonged to the genera Candelariella, Caloplaca, Lecanora, Lecidea, Lepraria, Physcia, and Protoparmeliopsis, and those of bryophytes to the genera Bryum, Ceratodon, Marchantia, and Tortula. The quantity and species diversity of lichens and mosses were much lower in wooden barracks than in brick ones. The external surfaces of those barracks were only affected by Lecanora conizaeoides, Lecanora symmicta, Lepraria cf. incana, and Strangospora pinicola. The study results revealed vast biodiversity among the species colonizing historic buildings. The presence of these groups of organisms, resulting from their natural expansion in the environment, is undesirable, as their excessive growth and spread may lead to progressive biodegradation of buildings. Our assessment of biological contamination will enable the development of a disinfection and conservation plan for the examined buildings.

Abstract: The Uholka-Shyrokyi Luh area of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve is considered the largest and the most valuable primeval beech forest in Europe for biodiversity conservation. To study the impact of different topographic and forest-stand variables on epiphytic lichen diversity a total of 294 systematically distributed sampling plots were surveyed and 198 epiphytic lichen species recorded in this forest landscape, which has an uneven-aged structure. The obtained data were analysed using a non-metric multidimensional ordination and a generalized linear model. The epiphytic lichen species density at the plot level was mainly influenced by altitude and forest-stand variables. These variables are related to both the light availability i.e. canopy closure, and the habitat diversity, i.e. the developmental stage of the forest stands and the mean stem diameter. We found that lichen species density on plots with a relatively open canopy was significantly higher than on plots with a fairly loose or closed canopy structure. The late developmental stage of forest stands, which is characterized by a large number of old trees with rough and creviced bark, had a strong positive effect on lichen species density. In the Uholka-Shyrokyi Luh primeval forest the mean stem diameter of beech trees significantly correlated with lichen species density per plot. Similar trends in the species diversity of nationally red-listed lichens were revealed. Epiphytic lichens with a high conservation value nationally and internationally were found to be rather abundant in the Uholka-Shyrokyi Luh area, which shows its international importance for the conservation of forest-bound lichens.

Abstract: Lichen translocation techniques that may be of value in the salvage of endangered lichen species, or in the latter stages of habitat restoration, are reviewed Successful translocation is defined here as the transfer of a target organism from a donor site to a receptor site to establish a new self-maintaining colony; for lichens, this may or may not include co-transfer of the thallus-supporting substrate In a time of global environmental change many species are under threat and the need for effective translocation methods is clear Indeed, some lichens are already amenable to translocation from one substrate to another Global conservation requires the restoration of degraded ecosystems and translocation technology offers a tool for habitat replenishment The re-introduction of lichenised fungi into sites from which they have been lost is an integral part of the restoration of complex habitats Successful translocation creates in turn niches for other organisms which inhabit, or feed upon, them