Replacement of lichen community in eutrophic forests in the province of Córdoba, Argentina

CECILIA ESTRABOU; CAROLINA QUIROGA; JUAN MANUEL RODRIGUEZ

BOSQUE (VALDIVIA)

UNIV AUSTRAL CHILE

Lugar: Valdivia; Año: 2014 vol. 35 p. 49 - 55

0304-8799

The lichen community diversity in patches of Chaco forest -NE of Cordoba Province, Argentina- was analyzed. Fifteen forest patches embedded in farmland areas were sampled. Size of the patch and exposure to the crops, were registered. In each patch, ten trees (sample units) with epiphytic lichens were sampled. The cover for epiphytic lichen species and the number of species present were recorded. Shannon-Wiener diversity index was calculated for each patches and Multivariate Analysis (DCA and Indicator Species Analysis) were applied in order to study the composition of the community. The sample patches in the DCA were associated with patch exposition. Four quantitative variables (patch size, relative cover of Physciaceae, Parmeliaceae and Collemataceae families that was the most representative) were related with the first two axes of DCA using correlations coefficients. Twenty one species in patches were identified. The diversity ?richness and cover- have not relation with the patches characteristics. Multivariate Analysis of sample units showed preferences of some species to exposure of patches to the crops. The data indicated that there would be a degradation marked by the impact of the edges on the remaining forests. There is a trend towards more homogeneous communities, formed by species resistant to these boundary conditions and with high coverage.