Scientific publications

The Munozersky Ridge range is environmentally diverse due to the presence of outcrops of igneous gabbro-dolerites aged about 2 Ga with shungite rock inclusions, coniferous and deciduous plant communities, and anthropogenic disturbances of different ages. It comprises three large ridges, one of which is located in the Kivach Nature Reserve's buffer zone. This paper presents the results of a study of lichens in plant communities of one ridge within the Munozersky range (Spasskaya Guba Village, Kondopozhsky District, Republic of Karelia). Within four geobotanical sample plots (0.25 ha total survey area), 215 species of lichens and allied fungi were identified, two of which are nationally redlisted, three are regionally red-listed, and five species are reported for the first time for the Karelia onegensis biogeographical province. Three species were previously known in Karelia by one record only. Substrate ecology analysis revealed six ecological groups of lichens: epiphytic (108 species, 50 %), epilithic (56 species, 26 %), epigeic (19 species, 9 %), bryophilous (10 species, 5 %), epixylic (6 species, 3 %), and generalists (16 species, 7 %). Epiphytic lichens associated with 10 phorophyte species prevailed in the surveyed communities. The greatest numbers of epiphytic lichen species were found on the bark of Sorbus aucuparia (80) and Betula pendula (72). The bark of Populus tremula featured the most specialized species composition (13 species). Epilithic lichens hold the second position. Rock outcrops harbored a total of 70 lichen species, of which 14 species were generalists and 56 species (80 %) were obligate, highly specialized epilithic lichens. Considering the high habitat diversity, the data obtained suggest the plant communities of the Munozersky range in general may also have high lichen species diversity.