Schedule Lichen Ecology and Biology (3 HEC), 3-7 March 2014
Monday 3 March: Lichen biology and phylogeny
12.30-12.45 Lecture room Tammsalen. Introduction to the course Göran Thor
12.45-13.45 Lecture room Tammsalen. General overview of lichens: photobiont / mycobiont,
bipartite/tripartite lichens, use of lichens by other organisms, lichens as ecological indicators,
lichens in the arctic / antarctic, boreal, nemoral and tropical ecosystems, lichen floras Göran
Thor
Papers to read:
 Grube, M. & Berg, G. 2009. Microbial consortia of bacteria and fungi with focus on the
Lichen symbiosis. Fungal Biology Reviews 23: 72-85.
 Spribille, T., Bunnell, F. L., Thor, G., Goward, T. & Björk, C. R. 2008. Lichens on dead
wood: species-substrate relationships in the epiphytic lichen floras of the Pacific
Northwest and Fennoscandia. Ecography 31: 741–750.
 Lücking, R, Rivas Plata, E., Chaves, J.L., Umaña, L. & Sipman, J.M. 2009. How many
tropical lichens are there... really? Bibliotheca Lichenologica 100: 399-418.
14.00-16.00 Lecture room Tammsalen. Phylogeny of Ascomycota. Stefan Ekman,
UppsalaUniversity Papers to read: Will be decided later
16.15-17.30 Lecture room Tammsalen. Thallus morphology and anatomy (reproduction,
growth, dispersal strategies). Looking at a lichen thallus under the dissecting microscope /
microscope and identifying the different parts, reproduction structures, fungal/algal layers etc.
Göran Thor
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Tuesday 4 March: Boreal lichen ecology and ecosystem processes
09.00-12.00
Course lab. Boreal lichen ecology, Per-Anders Esseen, Umeå University
Papers to read Background papers
 Hauck, M. 2011. Site factors controlling epiphytic lichen abundance in northern
coniferous forests. Flora 206: 81-90.
 Sillett, S.C. & Antoine, M.E. 2004. Lichens and bryophytes in forest canopies. In:
Lowman, M.D., Rinker, H.B. (Eds.), Forest Canopies. Second ed. Elsevier Academic
Press, Burlington, MA, pp. 151–174.
Discussion papers
 Esseen, P.-E., Renhorn, K.-E. & Pettersson, R.B. 1996. Epiphytic lichen biomass in
managed and old-growth boreal forests: effect of branch quality. Ecological Applications
6: 228–238.
 Boudreault, C., Bergeron, Y. & Coxson, D. 2009: Factors controlling epiphytic lichen
biomass during postfire succession in black spruce boreal forests. Canadian Journal of
Forest Research 39: 2168-2179.
12.00-13.00
Lunch
13.00-16.00 Lecture room F-salen. Lichens and their role in ecosystem processes (lichen
compounds and other functional traits, lichen-invertebrate interactions, lichen decomposition,
linking lichenivory, decomposition and functional traits) Johan Asplund, Norwegian University
of Life Sciences
Papers to read:
 Fröberg, L., Stoll, P., Baur, A., & Baur, B. 2011. Snail herbivory decreases
cyanobacterial abundance and lichen diversity along cracks of limestone pavements.
Ecosphere 2: art38.
 Asplund, J., & Wardle, D.A. 2013. The impact of secondary compounds and functional
characteristics on lichen palatability and decomposition. Journal of Ecology 101: 689–
700.
 Asplund, J., Bokhorst, S., & Wardle, D.A. 2013. Secondary compounds can reduce the
soil micro-arthropod effect on lichen decomposition. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 66:
10–16.
16.15-18.30 Lecture room F-salen. Participants present their own research projects (in
alphabetical order, 10 min each)
18.30- Dinner at Department of Ecology, SLU (all teachers invited)
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Wednesday 5 March: Lichen ecology research in Estonia and molecular
ecology
09.00-12.00 Lecture room F-salen. Lichen ecology research in Estonia Piret Lõhmus,Institute
of Botany and Ecology, Tartu University
Papers to read:
 Leppik, E., Jüriado, I., Suija, A. & Liira, J. 2013. The conservation of ground layer lichen
communities in alvar grasslands and the relevance of substitution habitats. Biodiversity
and Conservation 22: 591–614.
 Marmor, L., Tõrra, T., Saag, L., Leppik, E. & Randlane, T. 2013. Lichens on Picea abies
and Pinus sylvestris - from tree bottom to the top. Lichenologist 45: 51–63.
 Lõhmus, A. & Lõhmus, P. 2011. Old-forest species: the importance of specific substrata
vs. stand continuity in the case of calicioid fungi. Silva Fennica 4: 1015–1039.
12.00-13.00
Lunch
13.00-16.00 Lecture room F-salen. (A) Lichen – a form of mycorrhiza and (B) Ascomycete
ecology where DNA sequencing from environmental samples brings new insights Anders
Dahlberg, Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, SLU, Uppsala
Papers to read:
 Kubartova A, Ottosson E, Dahlberg A, Stenlid J. 2012. Patterns of fungal communities
among and within decaying logs, revealed by 454 sequencing. Molecular Ecology 21(18):
4514–4532.
 Selosse, M.-A. & Le Tacon, F. 1998. The land flora: a phototroph-fungus partnership?
Trends in ecology and evolution13: 15–25.
16.15-17.30
Visit to Department of Mycology and Pathology, SLU. Ariana Kubartova will
show the lab.
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Thursday 6 March: Lichen physiology and nature conservation
09.00-12.00 Lecture room F-salen. Lichens and conservation biology (tree diseases, life
history traits, monitoring with lichens, the Swedish lichen Red List) Göran Thor
Papers to read:
 Johansson, P. & Thor, G. 2008. Lichen species density and abundance over ten years in
permanent plots in inland Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Antarctic Science 20: 115–
121.
 Jönsson, M.T. & Thor, G. 2012. Estimating Coextinction Risks from Epidemic Tree
Death: Affiliate Lichen Communities among Diseased Host Tree Populations of Fraxinus
excelsior. PLoS ONE 7(9): e45701.
 Johansson, P., Rydin, H. & Thor, G. 2007. Tree age relationships with epiphytic lichen
diversity and lichen life history traits on ash in southern Sweden. Ecoscience 14: 81–91.
 Fedrowitz, K., Kuusinen, M. & Snäll, T. 2012: Metapopulation dynamics and future
persistence of epiphytic cyanolichens in a European boreal forest ecosystem. Journal of
Applied Ecology 49: 493-502.
12.00-13.00
13.00-16.00
Lunch
Lecture room F-salen. Lichen physiology and environmental aspects. Kristin
Palmqvist, Umeå University
Papers to read:
 Gauslaa, Y. 2014. Rain, dew, and humid air as drivers of morphology, function and
spatial distribution in epiphytic lichens. Lichenologist 46: 1–16.
 Johansson, O., Olofsson, J., Giesler, R & Palmqvist, K. 2011. Lichen responses to
nitrogen and phosphorus additions can be explained by the different symbiont responses.
New Phytologist 191: 795–805.
 Jonsson, A.V., Moen, J. & Palmqvist, K. 2008. Predicting lichen hydration using
biophysical models. Oecologia 156: 259–273.
16.00- How you wish. There is a possibility to use the microscopes, visit the herbarium
UPS or be a tourist in Uppsala/Stockholm.
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Friday 7 March: Modelling of lichen populations and taxonomic paradigms
09.00-9.40
Lecture room F-salen. Colonisation-extinction dynamics of lichens Thomas
Ranius, SLU
09.40-10.00 Coffee break
10.00-11.00 Lecture room F-salen. Literature seminar
Paper to read:
 Johansson, V., Ranius, T., Snäll, T. 2012. Epiphyte metapopulation dynamics are
explained by life-history, connectivity and patch dynamics. Ecology 93: 235–241.
11.00-11.30
Lecture room F-salen. Summary of the course Göran Thor
11.30-12.30
Lunch
12.30-14.30
Lecture room F-salen. Taxonomic paradigms in the 20:th century and calicioids
Leif Tibell, Uppsala University
Reference book / background reading
 Nash, T.H. III 2008. Lichen Biology
 Ellis, C.J. 2012. Lichen epiphyte diversity: a species, community and trait-based review.
Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 14: 131-152.
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