Lichen Succession on Wilkiea Macrophylla Leaves

• Published in: The Lichenologist (London) Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 135 - 147
• Main Authors: Rogers, R. W., Barnes, A., Conran, J. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.04.1994; Elsevier Ltd; Academic Press
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; Australia; Oceania; Queensland; Rain forest; Tropical zone; Epiphyte; Plant leaf; Vegetation succession; Monimiaceae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Lichenes; Spermatophyta; Mathematical model; Age; Colonization; Population density; Species richness; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0024-2829; 1096-1135
• DOI: 10.1006/lich.1994.1012

Changes in foliicolous lichen populations of the shrub Wilkiea macrophylla in rainforest at Mt Glorious (south-east Queensland) were observed in the field for 3 years. Leaves successively distal from the twig apices were treated as a chronosequence for lichen successional studies. Five species of lichen each colonized more than 50° 0 of the leaves, and leaves successively distal from the apex showed increasing mean species number. Lichen cover rose until the seventh most distal leaf from the first colonized leaf along a twig, reaching 52%. More distal (older) leaves had apparently lower cover. Different lichen species show different instantaneous colonization rates that vary with time. The sequence of lichen colonization and subsequent community composition is best described by a ‘Tolerance’ model of succession if a single leaf is selected as the unit or with a ‘Chronic Disturbance’ model if a leaf population is considered.