Lichens of Portage County, Wisconsin
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Preliminary Lichen Flora for Portage County, Wisconsin By Mary E. Pawlowski-Bartkowiak A Thesis Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NATURAL RESOURCES (FORESTRY) College of Natural Resources UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Stevens Point, Wisconsin May 2013 APPROVED BY THE GRADUATE COMMITTEE OF: _________________________________________________ Dr. James Bennett, Department of Botany University of Wisconsin-Madison ___________________________________________________ Dr. Robert Freckmann Emeritus Professor of Biology & Water Resources ____________________________________________________ Dr. Virginia Freire Associate Professor of Biology – Committee Co-Chair ______________________________________________________ Dr. Richard Hauer Associate Professor of Forestry – Committee Co-Chair ii ABSTRACT Many studies, both vegetation and floristic, have been conducted throughout Wisconsin and have contributed to our knowledge of lichens in this state (Culberson 1955, Hale 1955, Foote 1966, Newberry 1974, Will-Wolf 1980, Bennett 2006a). However, none of these studies have focused on Portage County, and cannot be used to represent the assemblage of lichens at present. Portage County lies in the center of Wisconsin and offers a variety of interesting physiographic characteristics. The tension zone (Curtis 1959) traverses the county from east to west, suggesting that an overlap of northern and southern vascular plant species may occur in the area. The last glacial event provided Portage County with rolling terminal moraines, wetlands and sandy outwashes. The results of a preliminary floristic study of lichens in Portage County, Wisconsin are presented here. A total of 180 species in 73 genera were identified from field collections made in 2010 through 2012. A catalogue of species is included with 208 lichens presented as a result of field work, a literature search for previously reported collections and a physical search of the Wisconsin State Herbarium (WIS). There are 115 new records for the county and the following 3 species are reported for the first time for the State of Wisconsin: Leptogium rivulare, Heterodermia obscurata, and Peltigera extenuata. In addition to state and county records, two lichens of significant ecological interest were collected during this study; Lobaria pulmonaria, and Normandina pulchella. iii ACKOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the members of my graduate committee, Dr. Jim Bennett, Dr. Bob Freckmann, Dr. Virginia Freire, and Dr. Rich Hauer for all of their support. Each member provided me with consultation, direction and encouragement when I needed it the most. Thank you, to both the UWSP Freckmann Herbarium and the Wisconsin State Herbarium-Madison, for allowing me area to work and access to the collections. I’d also like to thank Richard Olson, Ed Damask, and Quinton and Shari Cieslewisz for permission to sample on their properties. Financial support was provided by the College of Letters and Science and the Botanical Club of Wisconsin, for which I am very grateful. Much appreciation goes to Ezekiel Behnke for assistance with herbarium work and Carol Kropidlowski for accompanying me in the field. I am also thankful for my academic family, there are too many individuals to name that have provided inspiration and support. Finally I would like to thank Rick and Ben for supporting me in this project. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………...iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………………………..iv LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………..vi LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………...vii INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW……………………….……………..1 General Background and Biology…………………………………………………2 Ecological Importance…………………………………………………………….7 Environmental Indicators/Monitoring With Lichens……………………………...9 Human Interactions………………………………………………………………12 Animal Interactions………………………………………………………………14 Wisconsin Lichens……………………………………………………………….15 Significance of a County Flora…………………………………………………..17 METHODS AND MATERIALS..........………………………………………………….19 Study Area……………………………………………………………………….19 Field and Lab Methods…………………………………………………………..22 RESULTS/DISCUSSION…………………………………………….…………………28 Rare and Significant Lichens…………………………………………………….29 Culberson Site/Curtis Stand 3044 Revisited…………………………………….34 Previous Reports…………………………………………………………………38 COLLECTION SITES…………………………………………………………………...40 CATALOG OF SPECIES………………………………………………………………..47 LITERATURE CITED…………………………………………………………………..59 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Percent cover by habitat type for Portage County......................................24 Table 2. Top 18 lichen genera collected from 2010 – 2012……………………….29 Table 3. Lichen species identified for Culberson site……………………………...37 Table 4. Lichens previously reported for Portage County………………………… 39 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Map of Wisconsin with Portage County highlighted…………………….17 Figure 2. Surface and subsurface features of Portage County……………………..18 Figure 3. Map of Wisconsin with tension zone transecting Portage County……… 19 Figure 4. Map of study sites in Portage County……………………………………20 Figure 5. Map of Portage County landcover. ………………………………………22 Figure 6. Habitat of Leptogium rivulare on the Tomorrow River………………….27 Figure 7. Google Earth image of Cieslewicz property…………………………….30 vii INTRODUCTION Lichens are often mistaken for moss and referred to as plant-like organisms. Although they are of small stature, they are neither simple nor a single organism but a composite represented by two and sometimes three biological kingdoms. The delicate balance that is required for this symbiosis to remain successful is dependent on many complex interactions. It has been well documented that lichens are excellent indicators of air quality and have been used historically to monitor for pollutants (Hawksworth & Rose 1970, Newberry 1974, Will-Wolf 1980, Richardson 1992, Gries 1996). Many studies, both vegetation and floristic, have been conducted throughout Wisconsin and have contributed to our knowledge of lichens in this state (Culberson 1955, Hale 1955, Foote 1966, Newberry 1974, Will-Wolf 1980, Bennett 2006a). However, none of these studies have focused on Portage County, and cannot be used to represent the assemblage of lichens at present. Portage County lies in the center of Wisconsin and offers a variety of interesting physiographic characteristics. The tension zone (Curtis 1959) traverses the county from east to west, suggesting that an overlap of northern and southern vascular plant species may occur in the area. The last glacial event provided Portage County with rolling terminal moraines, wetlands and sandy outwashes. Results of a preliminary floristic study of lichens in Portage County, Wisconsin are presented here. 208 lichen species are presented with 115 reported as new records for the county and 3 new records for the State of Wisconsin. 1 General background and biology of lichens Lichens are a composite life form consisting of a fungus (mycobiont) and an organism capable of producing carbohydrates through photosynthesis. Recent literature often refers to lichens as miniature ecosystems and not as organisms at all (Hinds & Hinds 2007). The photosynthetic symbiont, known as a photobiont can be an alga or cyanobacteria, or occasionally both. Three biological kingdoms may comprise the lichen when all three are present; Fungi, Protista and Monera. The tripartite association involves the fungus with a green alga as a primary photobiont and the cyanobacteria in distinct packets known as cephalodia. The mycobiont is most often from the Ascomycetes group of fungi which are characterized by the production of spores in sac like structures. Occasionally the mycobiont is from the Basidiomycetes group which represents the mushroom producing fungi. The photobiont is capable of producing food for the partnership and the mycobiont provides protection, ambient light and moisture for the association. A simplistic overview: the mycobiont provides structural support in the form of a thallus and the photobiont is the occupant that produces food for both associates. The lichen symbiosis is very complex and research continues on the subject. Lichens were previously believed to be an example of mutualism, i.e. with all partners benefiting from the association. However, the union may be better described as varying degrees of parasitism (Nash 1996). In order for the mycobiont to access the food produced, it must invade the photobiont. This invasion suggests that the mycobiont may be benefiting more from the association than the photobiont. When the two components are grown separately in the lab, the mycobiont does not develop into a structure 2 resembling a lichen thallus. Instead it forms a gelatinous mass. In contrast, the photobiont can be grown separately but does not look the same as when it is in the symbiotic state. The most common genus of green algae to appear in the lichen association is Trebouxia (Brodo 2001), which is rarely if ever found free living in nature. Trentepohlia, another common photobiont, is able to form filamentous free living colonies. Cyanobacteria are commonly found free living; the two most common are Nostoc and Gloeocapsa (Brodo et al. 2001). These photobionts, while in the lichen association do not reproduce or develop filaments. However, they are able to colonize extreme environments that they would not be able to live in outside of the association (Richardson 1974). More than 700 secondary compounds, contributing up to 20% dry weight, have been identified