Biologia 63/6: 1069—1072, 2008 Section Botany DOI: 10.2478/s11756-008-0158-0

Lichens on lignum in the coastal regions of western ()

Piotr Osyczka1 &Michal W˛egrzyn2

1Department of Polar Research and Documentation, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Kopernika 27,PL-31–501 Kraków, Poland; e-mail: [email protected] 2Department of Polar Research and Documentation, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Kopernika 27,PL-31–501 Kraków, Poland; e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Eighteen species of eleven genera were found on driftwood and worked timber deposited on the beaches in the Hornsund and regions (the west coast of Spitsbergen, Svalbard archipelago). Majority of them indicate low substrate specificity in the high regions. Only three species (Caloplaca spitsbergensis, Lecanora mughicola, L. orae-frigidae) are typical for lignum. Most of the taxa are widespread in Svalbard. Species like: Caloplaca holocarpa, C. spitsbergensis, Protothelenella sphinctrinoidella, Rinodina archaea were sporadically reported till now. Lecanora mughicola was not reported from Svalbard up to the present and this is the first record of the species for the region. Key words: Lecanora mughicola; biodiversity; lichenized fungi; lignicolous ; Svalbard; lignum; driftwood

Introduction Lignicolous lichen communities constitute a very significant fraction of lichen biota. Characteristics and Ice-free areas of Spitsbergen (the largest island of Sval- lichen composition of such communities considerable bard archipelago, situated in the Arctic Ocean be- depend on regional peculiarities. For arctic, maritime tween 76◦30–80◦30 Nand10◦30–21◦40 E) are cov- regions three kinds of lignum can be recognized as po- ered by the arctic desert or arctic tundra (see e.g. Elve- tential habitats for lichens: driftwood, worked timber, bakk 1997), where lichens and often con- and in some parts natural lignum. There have been only stitute a major component of biomass. There are no few investigations relating to lignicolous lichen commu- trees which would be recognized as such. Dwarf wil- nities for north high latitude areas (e.g. Alstrup 1977, low species (Salix sp.) and the birch (Betula nana L.) 1982; Brodo & V¨ansk¨a 1984; Sørchting 1989; Žurbenko have a shape of low-growing shrubs and they stay very & Vekhov 2001; Himelbrant & Kuznetsova 2002). This short. In spite of the fact that Spitsbergen lacks typical study provides new information about this interesting tree growth, some regions are wealthy in various kind group of lichens and new general data on lichens distri- of wood such as driftwood and worked timber, which bution and ecology in the region of Svalbard. are both excellent substrates for lichens (Fig. 2). Driftwood reaching to the shores of Svalbard come from Siberia and originates from living forests or from Material and methods logs which have come loose during timber floating. The study is based on the author own collections made The most frequent kinds of driftwood recorded in the during summer season 2002. Driftwood and worked tim- archipelago region are logs of coniferous trees like Pi- ber pieces overgrown by lichens were taken from two lo- nus, Picea,andLarix (e.g. Eggertsson 1994; Johansen calities in the west coast of Spitsbergen (Fig. 1): locality 1 1999). The wood, which is transported to the sea by – Hyttevika, fjord Hornsund, NW part, the marine terrace the Siberian rivers, is trapped into drifting ice, carried Skjerstranda, 77◦01N, 15◦12E; locality 2 – Petuniabukta, to the arctic islands by ocean currents, and eventually fjord Billefjorden, the north-east branch of (be- ◦ ◦ deposited along the shores. Human activity in Svalbard tween B¨unsow Land and ), 78 40 N, 16 35 E. is rather limited and in many regions logs of driftwood From Hyttevika both driftwood and worked timber samples abundantly are fallowed on beaches. Since 17th century were gathered, whereas from second locality only patches of worked timber got plucked. Worked timber samples in whaler, hunters and sailors have exploited driftwood both cases came from constructional elements of wooden as constructive elements for huts or traps (e.g. Cho- huts (in Petuniabukta used as a seasonal polar base by the chorowski 1999). Manufactured timber has been also Adam Mickiewicz University in Pozna´n). Some planks used delivered to the Svalbard’s settlements from the main as a building material for the hut in Hyttevika were nailed continent by ships. in 1985 (Czerny pers. comm.) and probably have become

c 2008 Institute of Botany, Slovak Academy of Sciences 1070 P. Osyczka & M. W˛egrzyn

Fig. 1. Sampling locations of lignum materials overgrew by lichens Fig. 2. Fragment of driftwood collected in Hyttevika (Hornsund). in the costal regions of western Spitsbergen (Svalbard): local- Following lichen species colonized this piece of wood:Amandinea ◦ ity 1 – Hyttevika, Hornsund, NW part, Skjerstranda, 77 01 N, punctata, Caloplaca citrina, C. fraudans, C. holocarpa, ◦ 15 12 E (substrate: driftwood and worked timber); locality 2 caesia, Rinodina archaea, Lecanora orae-frigidae. – Petuniabukta, Billefjorden, the branch of Isfjorden (between B¨unsow Land and Dickson Land), 78◦40N, 16◦35E (substrate: worked timber). era: Amandinea, Buellia, , Physcia, Protothe- lenella, Umbilicaria, Xanthoria are represented by one species. overgrew by lichens after this year. The driftwood logs in Lecanora mughicola from the Svalbard region is Hyttevika region were stored on the marine terrace nearby reported here for the first time. The species belongs the trapper hut. Anatomical analysis of gathered wooden to the Lecanora saligna group producing isousnic acid materials was done in order to tree species recognition. as the basic secondary metabolite (Sliwa´ & Wetmore The lichen species were identified using method of clas- 2000; Printzen 2001). Within this group this lichen is sical (observations and measurements of external characterized by a relatively well-developed thallus, dis- features, light microscopy of squash preparations and sec- tinct apothecial margin and dark or even black, usually tions of thalli and apothecia, the ordinary spot test reagents) slightly convex apothecial disc (Palka & Sliwa´ 2004). It supported by chemical analyses if necessary. The lichen sub- is known from scattered situations in North America, stances were determined by the thin-layer chromatography Europe, Asia and also Africa, however precise global (following: White & James 1985; Orange et al. 2001). distribution is not well recognized yet. The lichen is con- The pH of the substrate surfaces were measured af- ´ ter application of 1M KCL to compensate for variation in sidered as lignicolous (Palka & Sliwa 2004; Santesson et the ion strength. It should to be kept in mind that such al. 2004). It can be confused especially with Lecanora measurements are approximately 0.5–1 pH unit lower than saligna or L. albellula, species which can occur in such measurements done in water. latitudes. For general characteristics of this group of The basic nomenclature of lichens adopted here is that Lecanora and for taxa delimination, see papers: Sliwa´ & of Thomson (1997) and Santesson et al. (2004). The spec- Wetmore (2000) and Printzen (2001). In general, there imens are deposited in the lichenological herbarium of the is many taxonomical intricacies within the and Institute of Botany of the Jagiellonian University (KRA). herbarium materials from this part of Arctic should to be subjected to critical revision. Results and discussion Majority of the next ascertained lichens are com- mon and widespread, reported from many places of Altogether 18 species of 11 lichen genera were recog- Svalbard by several authors (see Elvebakk & Hertel nized on the examined lignum materials collected in 1996). Worthy of attention are: Caloplaca holocarpa, the Hyttevika (Hornsund) and Petuniabukta (Billefjor- C. spitsbergensis, Protothelenella sphinctrinoidella,and den) regions (Table 1). The richest in species is the Rinodina archaea which were known only from scat- genus Caloplaca (5 species); the genera Candelariella, tered or singular localities. The first species was re- Lacanora, Rinodina have 2 representatives; next gen- ported (as C. pyracea) from Sassendalen by Søchting Lichens on lignum from Spitsbergen 1071

Table 1. List of ascertained lichen species on lignum in the coastal strate. Driftwood in Hyttevika has been stored nearby regions of western Spitsbergen: Hyttevika (Hornsund) and Petu- the huge Little Auk (Alle alle) colony and it could be niabukta (Billefjorden). Types and pH of wood are given in the table. the reason for strong acidity. Relatively the least acid is worked timber form Hyttevika. The analyzed fragments Locality and type of substrate of the planks taken from the hus were rather recent Lichen species and protected by a rooflet from direct influence of ex- Hyttevika Hyttevika Petuniabukta –drift- –worked –worked ternal environmental factors. The lichens found on the wood, timber, timber, pH worked timber from Petuniabukta and the driftwood pH 3.87 pH 4.90 3.49 from Hyttevika surely can be considered as a strong acid-tolerating species. The species recorded only on Amandinea punctata ++ + Buellia insignis + the worked timber originated from Hyttevika perhaps Caloplaca cerina ++ + are not able to overgrow on heavy acid lignum. Caloplaca citrina ++ Some lichens that inhabit lignum can be strongly Caloplaca fraudans + morphologically modified, especially when lignum is Caloplaca holocarpa ++ Caloplaca spitsbergensis + not typical substrate for them. For instance, Umbili- + caria hyperborea from Hyttevika has stunted, faded ++ thallus without any apothecia. Specimen of Xanthoria Lecanora mughicola + (probably belongs to X. elegans) developed only very Lecanora orae-frigidae ++ Parmelia saxatilis + small, scattered, pale lobes. Similarly just very small, Physcia caesia ++ deformed patches of Physcia caesia were found. Some Protothelenella + lignicolous Caloplaca species often develop very dark sphinctrinoidella or even black apothecia (Søchting 1989). For example, Rinodina archaea + Rinodina turfacea + in spite of affiliation of Caloplaca spitsbergensis to the Umbilicaria hyperborea + “ferruginea group” – red-brown apothecia (Magnusson Xanthoria cf. elegans + 1944), specimen on the plank from the hus in Hyttevika has strongly blackened apothecia. Such morphological modifications frequently cause difficulties in determina- tion of lignicolous lichens. (1989) and specified with no further information on Selected specimens examined. Amandinea punc- the list of Caloplaca from Svalbard (Søchting & Olech tata – locality 1, on driftwood, July 2002, P. Osyczka 1995). Caloplaca spitsbergensis was described by Mag- 620 (KRA); locality 1, on worked timber, July 2002, nusson (1944) from Moffen Island (Northern Svalbard). P. Osyczka 614 (KRA); locality 2, on worked timber, Later it was reported from Amsterdamøya (Hertel & June 2002, P. Osyczka 606 (KRA); Buellia insignis – Ullrich 1976) and Kongsfjorden (Hertel 1977). Recently locality 1, on worked timber, July 2002, P. Osyczka the species was collected on driftwood from Mitra- 600 (KRA); Caloplaca cerina – locality 1, on driftwood, halvøya (Elix et al. 2000; Søchting 2001). Protothe- July 2002, P. Osyczka 622 (KRA); locality 1, on worked lenella sphinctrinoidella was known only from Bock- timber, July 2002, P. Osyczka 611 (KRA); locality 2, fjorden (Hafellner 1982) so far. Rinodina archaea was on worked timber, June 2002, P. Osyczka 610 (KRA); only recorded on a dead twig of cf. Salix from Bjørnøya Caloplaca citrina – locality 1, on worked timber, July (Lynge 1926), which is remote island to the south from 2002, P. Osyczka 627 (KRA); locality 2, on worked tim- the main group of Svalbard. ber, June 2002, P. Osyczka 607 (KRA); Caloplaca frau- Most of the species can be classified as eurytopic or dans – locality 1, on driftwood, July 2002, P. Osyczka facultative which are able to exist on various substrates 623 (KRA); Caloplaca holocarpa – locality 1, on drift- or outright prefer other type of substrate than lignum. wood, July 2002, P. Osyczka 624 (KRA); locality 2, For example, Umbilicaria hyperborea is typical for sil- on worked timber, June 2002, P. Osyczka 601 (KRA); icate rocks and boulders, however, occasionally can be Caloplaca spitsbergensis – locality 1, on worked timber, found also on acid wood. Only Caloplaca spitsbergen- July 2002, P. Osyczka 602 (KRA, C); Candelariella au- sis, Lecanora mughicola and L. orae-frigidae are typical rella – locality 2, on worked timber, June 2002, P. Osy- for lignum. According to Søchting 1989, wood in the czka 615 (KRA); Candelariella vitellina – locality 1, high arctic environments have characteristical features on worked timber, July 2002, P. Osyczka 608 (KRA); significant for lichen colonization: very slow decomposi- locality 2, on worked timber, June 2002, P. Osyczka tion, frequent impregnation with soil dust causing turn 628 (KRA); Lecanora mughicola – locality 2, on worked the chemistry towards adjacent rocky substrates, high timber, June 2002, P. Osyczka 629 (KRA); Lecanora water holding capacity. These could be the reasons why orae-frigidae – locality 1, on driftwood, July 2002, P. lignicolous lichens demonstrate low substrate specificity Osyczka 625 (KRA); locality 1, on worked timber, July in the Svalbard region. 2002, P. Osyczka 616 (KRA); Parmelia saxatilis –lo- All substrates are wood of Pinus silvestris L. The cality 1, on worked timber, July 2002, P. Osyczka 618 measured pH values in all cases are lower than 5 (Ta- (KRA); Physcia caesia – locality 1, on driftwood, July ble 1). The worked timber form Petuniabukta was 2002, P. Osyczka 609 (KRA); locality 1, on worked tim- strongly decaying therefore it is the most acid sub- ber, July 2002, P. Osyczka 612 (KRA); Protothelenella 1072 P. Osyczka & M. W˛egrzyn sphinctrinoidella – locality 1, on worked timber, July Hertel H. 1977. Bemerkenswerte Flachtenfunde aus dem Gebiet 2002, P. Osyczka 613 (KRA); Rinodina archaea –local- des Kongsfjordes und des Isfjordes (Spitzbergen). Herzogia 4: ity 1, on driftwood, July 2002, P. Osyczka 626 (KRA); 367–401. Hertel H. & Ullrich H. 1976. Flechten von Amterdamøya (Sval- Rinodina turfacea – locality 1, on worked timber, July bard). Mitt. Bot. Staatssammal. M¨unchen 12: 417–512. 2002, P. Osyczka 603 (KRA); Umbilicaria hyperborea – Himelbrant D. & Kuznetsova E. 2002. Lignicolous lichens on locality 1, on worked timber, July 2002, P. Osyczka 617 driftwood of the Keret’ archipelago (White Sea). Botanica Lithuanica 8(4): 349–355. (KRA); Xanthoria cf. elegans – locality 1, on worked Johansen S. 1999. Origin of driftwood in north and its timber, July 2002, P. Osyczka 605 (KRA). relevance for transport routes of drift ice and pollution to the Barents Sea. Sci. Total Environ. 231(2–3): 201–225. 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