Dariusz Kubiak

Lichens, Lichenicolous and Allied Fungi Found in Asveja Regional Park (Lithuania)

Abstract Motiejūnaitė J., Berglund T., Czarnota P., Himelbrant D., Högnabba F., Konoreva L. A., Korchikov E. S., Kubiak D., Kukwa M., Kuznetsova E., Leppik E., Lõhmus P., Prigodina Lukošienė I., Pykälä J., Stončius D., Stepanchikova I., Suija A., Thell A., Tsurykau A., Westberg M., 2012: Lichens, lichenicolous and allied fungi found in Asveja Regional Park (Lithuania) [Kerpės, lichenofiliniai ir kerpėms artimi saprotrofiniai grybai Asvejos regioniniame parke]. - Bot. Lith., 18(2): 85-100. The paper reports the results of lichenological investigations in Asveja Regional Park (eastern Lithuania). A large part of the study was performed during the joint 18th Symposium of the Baltic Mycologists and Lichenologists (BMLS) and Nordic Lichen Society (Nordisk Lichenologisk Förening, NLF) meeting on 19-23 September 2011. A list of 259 species is presented. Of these, 30 species are new to Lithuania. Arthonia helvola, Bacidina sulphurella, Candelariella lutella, Catillaria croatica, Cladonia conista, Gyalecta derivata, Lecanoraquercicola, Leptosphaeria ramalinae, Strigula jamesii, Trichonectria rubefaciens, Verrucaria banatica, V. boblensis, V. christiansenii, V. illinoisensis, V. inornata, V. nigrofusca, V. trabicola, Zwackhiomyces diederichii were recorded for the first time in the Baltic countries. New lichens to Lithuania are as follows: Bacidiaincompta, Caloplaca crenulatella, C. pyracea, Catinaria atropurpurea, Lecanora populicola, L. semipallida, Mycobilimbia epixanthoides, Ramalina dilacerata, Verrucaria inaspecta, and new lichenicolous fungi are: Cladosporium licheniphilum, Stigmidium microspilum, Xenonectriella leptalea. Eighteen species included in the Lithuanian Red Data Book were recorded, which is the highest number known for any studied area in Lithuania.

Ninety-one species of lichens and allied fungi new to Latvia with a list of additional records from Kurzeme

Abstract: Motiejūnaitė, J., Chesnokov, S. V., Czarnota, P., Gagarina, L.V., Frolov, I., Himelbrant, D., Konoreva, L. A., Kubiak, D., Kukwa, M., Moisejevs, R., Stepanchikova, I., Suija, A., Tagirdzhanova, G., Thell, A. & Tsurykau, A. 2016. Ninety-one species of lichens and allied fungi new to Latvia with a list of additional records from Kurzeme. — Herzogia 29: 143–163. The results of lichenological excursions of the 19th Symposium of Baltic Mycologists and Lichenologists (BMLS) in Latvia, Kurzeme region, 22–26 September 2014, are reported. A list of 290 species is presented, of which 238 are lichenized, 43 lichen-inhabiting, and nine saprotrophic fungi: ninety-one species are new to Latvia, twelve of which (Caloplaca duplicata, Cresporhaphis wienkampii, Ellisembia lichenicola, Gallowayella weberi, Gregorella humida, Lichenochora weillii, Parmelia serrana, Polycauliona phlogina, Reconditella physconiarum, Stictis brunnescens, Thelocarpon superellum, and Verrucaria tectorum) are also new for the Baltic States. Athallia alnetorum is reported here for the first time in northern Europe. The presence of Ochrolechia androgyna s. str., Athallia holocarpa and A. pyracea is confirmed for Latvia, and Parmelia submontana is reported as a new host for Homostegia piggotii.

Bacidia hemipolia f. pallida in Poland — Distribution and Ecological Characteristics Based on New Records from Old-Growth Forests

Abstract: Kubiak, D. & Łubek, A. 2016. Bacidia hemipolia f. pallida in Poland — distribution and ecological characteristics based on new records from old-growth forests. — Herzogia 29: 712–720. This paper presents 31 new sites for the lichen Bacidia hemipolia f. pallida found in central and north-eastern Poland. An ecological description and the current distribution of the taxon in Poland is presented based on new data and previously published information. At present, the worlds largest density of the lichens sites occurs in large forest complexes of north-eastern Poland. Because of the limited distribution and the affinity with specific forest habitats, the taxon has been submitted to be included on the Red List of the lichens of Poland.

Lichen diversity in the managed forests of the Karnieszewice Forest Division and its surroundings (N Poland)

The lichen biota of the Karnieszewice Forest Division (N Poland) is presented. Despite it is predominantly a strongly managed woodland area, 270 lichen species were found there including many rare species for Poland, as well as for European Lowland. Near 20% of the whole lichen biota are considered to be threatened in the country (categories CR, EN, VU), and 34 species are protected by law in Poland. Agonimia flabelliformis is reported for the second time from Polish lowlands.

The significance of old-growth forests in maintaining lichen diversity - an example from the remnants of the Mazovian Forest

Abstract The paper presents the results of a lichenological study conducted in 2012 in the ‘Lekowo’ forest complex, situated in the north-western part of Mazovia (Forest Division of Ciechanów). It is the largest forest complex in the area, covering 1596 ha. The research area comprises two small nature reserves (‘Lekowo’ - 5,31 ha, and ‘Modła’ - 9,36 ha) with old-growth oak trees (160-200 years of age) and adjacent managed pine forests (76-107 years of age). The aim of this study was to investigate the species composition of the lichen biota in both reserves and to determine the role of nature reserves in preserving lichen diversity. Results of the study showed that old-growth stands, in particular those composed of oak trees above recommended felling age, provide habitats for a large group of stenotopic forest lichens which are absent in managed forests. The ‘Lekowo’ and ‘Modła’ nature reserves, despite their small areas, are valuable refuges that help to conserve remarkable lichen diversity at the local scale, and serve as potential diaspore sources for many rare and threatened lichen species

Specific Vicariance of Two Primeval Lowland Forest Lichen Indicators

To date, the lichens Chrysothrix candelaris and Varicellaria hemisphaerica have been classified as accurate primeval lowland forest indicators. Both inhabit particularly valuable remnants of oak-hornbeam forests in Europe, but tend toward a specific kind of vicariance on a local scale. The present study was undertaken to determine habitat factors responsible for this phenomenon and verify the indicative and conservation value of these lichens. The main spatial and climatic parameters that, along with forest structure, potentially affect their distribution patterns and abundance were analysed in four complexes with typical oak-hornbeam stands in NE Poland. Fifty plots of 400 m2 each were chosen for detailed examination of stand structure and epiphytic lichens directly associated with the indicators. The study showed that the localities of the two species barely overlap within the same forest community in a relatively small geographical area. The occurrence of Chrysothrix candelaris depends basically only on microhabitat space provided by old oaks and its role as an indicator of the ecological continuity of habitat is limited. Varicellaria hemisphaerica is not tree specific but a sufficiently high moisture of habitat is essential for the species and it requires forests with high proportion of deciduous trees in a wide landscape scale. Local landscape-level habitat continuity is more important for this species than the current age of forest stand. Regardless of the indicative value, localities of both lichens within oak-hornbeam forests deserve the special protection status since they form unique assemblages of exclusive epiphytes, including those with high conservation value.

Epidemiological Importance of Yeasts Isolated from the Beak and Cloaca of Healthy Charadriiformes

Abstract The paper presents mycological studies conducted jointly with ornithologists on the epidemiology of mycoses and the taxonomic diversity and prevalence of fungi that colonise the selected onthocenoses in healthy, wild migratory birds. Aquatic ecosystem populations of healthy birds include a percentage of carriers of potential zoo- and anthropopathogens, and this studys purpose was to determine the percentage. The studies were performed on swabs sampled in vivo (during spring and autumn migrations) from the beak and cloaca of nine species of Charadriiformes in two age categories. Macro- and microcultures of fungi were prepared according to the standards for diagnostic mycological laboratories. From the 450 birds examined, fungi were isolated from 130 (26.5%) individuals. The sampling yielded 272 yeast isolates: 170 (62.5%) from the beak and 102 (37.5%) from the cloaca. The isolates represented 23 species, among which C. albicans, C. neoformans, and R. rubra were predominant. In both onthocenoses in young and adult birds, more fungi were recorded in autumn than in spring. As many as 15 species are included in the biosafety level classification, of which seven are categorised as category 2 and one as category 3.

Gyalidea minuta in Central Europe – new data on its distribution, ecology, and morphological variation

New localities of Gyalidea minuta in Central Europe are reported. The distribution, ecology, and morphological variation of the species are discussed and differentiating characters presented.

Dermacentor reticulatus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) distribution in north-eastern Poland: an endemic area of tick-borne diseases

Dermacentor reticulatus is the second most important tick species in Poland. Although the north-eastern region of Poland is considered typical for D. reticulatus and is treated as a contiguous area of Eastern populations of the meadow ticks, the occurrence of this tick species in this region to date has been recorded as separate foci. The present report supplements data on the geographical distribution of D. reticulatus in urban and natural biotopes of north-eastern Poland (Warmia and Mazury province). In 2015–2017 (during the springtime activity of ticks) adult questing D. reticulatus were found in 13 of 25 monitored localities. Six sites are located in urbanized areas, within the administrative borders of the city of Olsztyn and seven sites are in natural biotopes in the central part of Warmia and Mazury. A total of 398 adult D. reticulatus ticks, including 257 females and 141 males, were collected. A comparison of data grouped according to urban and natural type of area revealed no statistical differences between them. Taking into account the habitat type, the mean tick density was the highest in open landscapes. The identification of new foci D. reticulatus in the endemic areas of Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis and canine babesiosis is crucial for determining the risk of diseases transmitted by ticks and taking proper preventive measures.

New Interesting Record of Leptogium Teretiusculum (Collemataceae, Lichenized Ascomycota) from Poland

Abstract New locality of a rare lichen species Leptogium teretiusculum (Wallr.) Arnold. from northern Poland was reported. It is the first record of this species on terricolous substrate (soil and plant debris) in Poland. General distribution and ecology of the species was discussed.