Lobarion as indicator of ancient forest in the Appennino Lucano (Basilicata - Southern Italy)

Abstract

Epiphytic lichens are considered to be particularly sensitive to forest management, many such species are mainly confined to old forests stands (LESICA et al., 1991;KUUSINEN, 1996; ESSEEN et al., 1997). The scarcity of old forest lichens in younger forest stands could be due to ine cient dispersal of lichen propagules (ESSEEN et al., 1996; SILLETT et al., 2000) or it could be that unfavourable microclimatic conditions in the younger stands preclude establishment. Species confined to ancient natural forests are considered to be sensitive to alteration in environmental conditions (ROSE, 1992). Lobaria pulmonaria and other members of the Lobarion are considered to be indicators of ancient forests with a long ecological continuity (ROSE, 1976, 1988, 1992).In this study we compared landscape structure, forest structure and lichen species abundance in three natural and managed forest landscapes, in particular oak, beech and fir forests in the Appennino Lucano Val d’Agri Lagonegrese National Park (Southern Italy), to define the relationship between lichen communities and Sustainable Forest Management.The epiphytes were recorded on vertical single stems of Quercus (Q. petraea, Q. cerris, Q. pubescens s.l.), Fagus sylvatica L. and on the trunks of Abies alba Mill. for each tree on which L. pulmonaria grew, the abundance of each lichen species was sampled using phytosociological approach.