Epiphytic Lichen Diversity and Environmental Indicators

Epiphytic lichens, symbiotic assemblages of fungi and photosynthetic partners living on tree surfaces, represent a globally distributed and taxonomically rich component of forest and urban ecosystems. Their species richness and community composition respond sensitively to microclimatic conditions, bark chemistry and atmospheric pollutants, making them invaluable biomonitors of environmental change. In natural forests, variation in phorophyte identity and bark pH shapes distinct lichen assemblages, while functional traits such as growth form, photobiont type and nutrient‐uptake strategies determine resilience to stressors. Across rural to urban gradients, epiphytic lichens record spatial patterns of nitrogen deposition, ammonia and nitrogen oxide exposure, and sulphur pollution, with shifts from oligotrophic acidophytes to nitrophilous or eutrophic species at elevated nitrogen levels. Recent work has also demonstrated the utility of lichen elemental contents and stable‐isotope‐ratio signatures to fingerprint local pollution sources and resolve fine‐scale air‐quality variation. Beyond air‐quality assessment, epiphytic lichen diversity underpins ecological forensics, conservation planning and the evaluation of ecosystem services, highlighting their dual role as sentinels and stewards of forest and urban health.

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Epiphytic Lichen Diversity and Environmental Indicators publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in epiphytic lichen diversity and environmental indicators across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Epiphytic lichen: Symbiotic organism of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria that grows upon living trees without penetrating host tissues.

Bioindicator: Species or community whose presence, abundance or condition reflects specific environmental variables or ecosystem health.

Phorophyte: Host tree species that provides a substrate for epiphytic lichens, influencing community patterns via bark texture and chemistry.

Stable‐isotope‐ratio signature: Ratio of heavy to light isotopes (e.g., 15N/14N, 34S/32S) in lichen tissues used to trace origins and processes of atmospheric pollutants.

References

1. NH3 concentrations below the current critical level affect the epiphytic macrolichen communities – Evidence from a Northern European City. The Science of The Total Environment (2023).
2. Lichens as spatially transferable bioindicators for monitoring nitrogen pollution. Environmental Pollution (2023).
3. High spatial resolution assessment of air quality in urban centres using lichen carbon, nitrogen and sulfur contents and stable-isotope-ratio signatures. Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2023).
4. Macrolichen Communities Depend on Phorophyte in Conguillío National Park, Chile. Plants (2023).
5. Functional Traits in Lichen Ecology: A Review of Challenge and Opportunity. Microorganisms (2021).