Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1993

Thesis Director

Andrew S. Methven

Abstract

This study was conducted as a survey of epiphytic lichen communities occurring on white oak trees at Walnut Point State Park (Douglas Co.) and Fox Ridge State Park (Coles Co.). Using a system of cover classes to estimate lichen cover, quantitative data on the distribution and abundance of epiphytic lichens was obtained. These data were used to calculate summary statistics of each community including total cover, species richness, and Shannon diversity. A total of ten taxa representing six genera were found. The foliose lichen Physcia millegrana had the highest cover in the open canopy habitats while all other taxa had average coverages of less than one percent. Open canopy habitats had consistantly higher cover than the closed canopy habitats although the Fox Ridge open and closed canopy habitats and the Walnut Point open canopy habitats were similar in species richness and Shannon diversity. The Walnut Point closed canopy habitat was almost completely devoid of lichen cover with only Candelaria concolor occuring on ten percent of white oaks sampled.

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