Epiphytic lichens of old-growth forests from southwestern Nova Scotia: Diversity, status and ecological relationships

The ecological relationships between old-growth forests and the lichen communities that inhabit them were examined in 51 conifer-dominated forest stands in southwestern Nova Scotia that were between 52 and 292 years of age. One hundred and thirty-five lichen species in 60 genera were identified. The profiles of the lichen species found revealed that the forests have a diverse lichen flora including eight genera and 21 species of cyanolichens as well as a spectrum of crustose taxa. A model was developed for predicting the richness of lichen species in a stand. Results revealed, the greater the structural complexity, the greater the lichen richness. These findings were supported through a dendrogram which demonstrated that the ecological needs of lichen species are generally unique. If forest managers want to preserve lichen species richness, forest stands need to be evaluated based on their structural complexity and ecological context, not age alone.