Exploiting hot spots; effective determination of lichen diversity in a Carpathian virgin forest
Although lichenized fungi are among the most reliable indicators of forest quality and represent a considerable part of forest biodiversity, methods maximizing completeness of their species lists per area are lacking. Employing a novel methodological approach including a multi expert competition and a search for local hot spot plots, we have obtained outstanding data about epiphytic lichen biota in a part of the largest Central European virgin forest reserve Uholka Shyrokyi Luh situated in Ukrainian Carpathians. Our field research consisted of two four day periods: (1) an overall floristic survey and a search for spots with raised lichen diversity, and (2) survey in four one hectare plots established in lichen diversity hot spots along an altitudinal gradient. Recorded alpha diversities in plots ranged from 181 228 species, but estimated species richness is in the range 207 322 species. Detected gamma diversity was 387 species; estimates are 409 484 species. 93% of the species found in the forest were recorded in plots, but only 65% outside the plots. This underlines the high efficiency of the multi expert competitive survey in diversity hot spot plots. Species richness in each one hectare plot was equal to the numbers of species obtained by floristic surveys of much larger old growth forest areas in Central Europe. Gamma diversity detected in the Uholka primeval forest far exceeded all numbers achieved in Central European old growth forests. Our method appears to be both effective (it obtains a more nearly complete inventory of species) and practical (the resources required are not unreasonably large)
PloS one