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Most research investigating how ocean warming and acidification will impact marine species has focused on visually dominant species, such as kelps and corals, while ignoring visually cryptic species such as crustose coralline algae (CCA). CCA are important keystone species that provide settlement cues for invertebrate larvae and can be highly sensitive to global ocean change. However, few studies have assessed how CCA respond to low emission scenarios or conditions. In a laboratory experiment, we examined the responses of temperate CCA assemblages to combined warming and acidification projected under low, medium, and high emissions. Net calcification and net photosynthesis significantly declined in all emissions scenarios, while significant reductions in relative growth rates and increases in percentage bleaching were observed in the highest emission scenario. The negative responses of CCA to both low and medium emissions suggest that they may be adversely impacted by combined warming and acidification by 2030 if current emissions are sustained. This will have far reaching consequences for commercially important invertebrates that rely on them to induce settlement of larvae. These findings highlight the need to take rapid action to preserve these critical keystone species and the valuable services they provide.

The Erythropeltidales are a common group of small, mostly epiphytic, marine red algae. However, they are little known in Korea. Many of the described species of Erythropeltidales differ subtly in morphology, and often the morphological differences are due to the substrate or environmental changes. Integration of molecular data with stan- dardized culture conditions has been recommended to account for these algae. A Madagascaria species was first collected from the western coast of Korea and was identified as Madagascaria erythrocladioides based on the morphological and molecular characteristics. Morphological characteristics conformed well with its original description, and the phylogenetic analysis based on rbcL sequence showed Korean M. erythrocladioides nests in the same clade with the original species described in Japan with a genetic distance of 0.0-0.1%. This species was isolated from a red alga, Pterocladiella capillacea, in laboratory culture. The thallus ontogeny and host preference were examined by a co-culture with 13 different species of algae. Results showed a relatively broad host preference in mono-spore attachment and epiphyte development of Madagascaria erythrocladioides. Mono-spores of M. erythrocladioides attached to most of the red algal hosts’ surfaces but no crustose thalli developed on some of the algal hosts even after one month of co-culture.

Benthic surveys are a key component of monitoring and conservation efforts for coral reefs worldwide. While traditional image-based surveys rely on manual annotation of photographs to characterise benthic composition, automatic image annotation based on computer vision is becoming increasingly common. However, accurate classification of some benthic groups from reflectance images presents a challenge to local ecologists and computers alike. Most coral reef organisms produce one or a combination of fluorescent pigments, such as Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-like proteins found in corals, chlorophyll-a found in all photosynthetic organisms, and phycobiliproteins found in red macroalgae, crustose coralline algae (CCA) and cyanobacteria. Building on the potential of these pigments as a target for automatic image annotation, we developed a novel imaging method based on off-the-shelf components to improve classification of coral and other biotic substrates using a multi-excitation fluorescence (MEF) imaging system. We used RGB cameras to image the fluorescence emission of coral and algal pigments stimulated by narrow-waveband blue and green light, and then combined the information into three-channel pseudocolour images. Using a set of a priori rules defined by the relative pixel intensity produced in different channels, the method achieved successful classification of organisms into three categories based on the dominant fluorescent pigment expressed, facilitating discrimination of traditionally problematic groups. This work provides a conceptual foundation for future technological developments that will improve the cost, accuracy and speed of coral reef surveys.

The new genus Australidea Kantvilas, Wedin & M. Svensson is described to accommodate Lecidea canorufescens Kremp., a widespread lichen in temperate Australasia. It is characterized by a crustose thallus with a green photobiont, reddish brown, biatorine apothecia with an internally hyaline, cupulate proper exciple constructed of branched and anastomosing hyphae, mainly simple paraphyses, 8-spored, Porpidia-type asci and simple, hyaline, non-halonate ascospores. A phylogenetic analysis places the new genus in the family Malmideaceae. Lecidea canorufescens Kremp., L. glandulosa C. Knight, L. immarginata R. Br. ex Cromb. and L. intervertens Nyl. are lectotypified. These names, plus L. dacrydii Müll. Arg. and L. eucheila Zahlbr., are all synonyms of Australidea canorufescens (Kremp.) Kantvilas, Wedin & M. Svensson comb. nov. Several genera superficially similar to Australidea, including Malcolmiella Vĕzda, Malmidea Kalb et al. and Myochroidea Printzen et al., are compared. A comprehensive anatomical and morphological description of the genus Malcolmiella, recorded for Tasmania for the first time, is also provided. The new combination M. interversa (Nyl.) Kantvilas, Wedin & M. Svensson is introduced and the names M. cinereovirens Vĕzda and M. cinereovirens var. isidiata Vĕzda are reduced to synonyms. The systematic position of this genus remains unclear, although phylogenetic analysis suggests its affinities lie with a group of genera that includes Bryobilimbia Fryday et al., Romjularia Timdal and Clauzadea Hafellner & Bellem.

Background Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are calcifying red macroalgae that play important ecological roles including stabilisation of reef frameworks and provision of settlement cues for a range of marine invertebrates. Previous research into the responses of CCA to ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA) have found magnitude of effect to be species-specific. Response to OW and OA could be linked to divergent underlying molecular processes across species. Results Here we show Sporolithon durum, a species that exhibits low sensitivity to climate stressors, had little change in metabolic performance and did not significantly alter the expression of any genes when exposed to temperature and pH perturbations. In contrast, Porolithon onkodes, a major coral reef builder, reduced photosynthetic rates and had a labile transcriptomic response with over 400 significantly differentially expressed genes, with differential regulation of genes relating to physiological processes such as carbon acquisition and metabolism. The differential gene expression detected in P. onkodes implicates possible key metabolic pathways, including the pentose phosphate pathway, in the stress response of this species. Conclusions We suggest S. durum is more resistant to OW and OA than P. onkodes, which demonstrated a high sensitivity to climate stressors and may have limited ability for acclimatisation. Understanding changes in gene expression in relation to physiological processes of CCA could help us understand and predict how different species will respond to, and persist in, future ocean conditions predicted for 2100.

Air pollution is one of the main issues faced by urban areas. Therefore, morphological characteristic and colony coverage of lichen growing at different scale air-polluted area could become as a bioindicator of their air quality. This research aims to determine the condition of lichen in spots located at near and far from the main road (width ± 29 meter) in urban area at Banjarbaru town. This research used descriptive method with purposive sampling technique. Sample were obtained from 2 plots those were far and near the main road, each plot represented by samples from 5 different trees (densed canopy with minimum DBH at 25 cm). Lichens were taken at 50-150 cm above ground level using 20x20 cm quadrant plastic frame. Observation variables include the number and shape of colonies, color and type of thallus, and percentage of thallus cover. We determined 13 colonies from spots far from the main road (500-600 meter from main road). Lichen dominated by green to bluish color, thallus consist of crustose and foliose, and the average percentage of thallus cover was 28.01%. While from that near the main road (14-250 meter from main road), we determined 14 colonies predominantly consisted of white crustose lichens, and the average percentage of thallus cover was 10.01%. Traffic intensity showed to have significant effect on lichens community. The main difference can be seen from morphology and colony coverage. Based on this result, lichen can be used as bioindicator of air quality, especially air pollution caused by motorized vehicles. Keywords arboretum, crustose, foliose, pollution, thallus

Mountains provide a timely opportunity to examine the potential effects of climate change on biodiversity. However, nature conservation in mountain areas have mostly focused on the observed part of biodiversity, not revealing the suitable but absent species—dark diversity. Dark diversity allows calculating the community completeness, indicating whether sites should be restored (low completeness) or conserved (high completeness). Functional traits can be added, showing what groups should be focused on. Here we assessed changes in taxonomic and functional observed and dark diversity of epiphytic lichens along elevational transects in Northern Italy spruce forests. Eight transects (900–1900 m) were selected, resulting in 48 plots and 240 trees, in which lichens were sampled using four quadrats per tree (10 × 50 cm). Dark diversity was estimated based on species co-occurrence (Beals index). We considered functional traits related to growth form, photobiont type and reproductive strategy. Linear and Dirichlet regressions were used to examine changes in taxonomic metrics and functional traits along gradient. Our results showed that all taxonomic metrics increased with elevation and functional traits of lichens differed between observed and dark diversity. At low elevations, due to low completeness and harsh conditions, both restoration and conservation activities are needed, focusing on crustose species. Towards high elevations, conservation is more important to prevent species pool losses, focusing on macrolichens, lichens with Trentepohlia and sexual reproduction. Finally, dark diversity and functional traits provide a novel tool to enhance nature conservation, indicating particular threatened groups, creating windows of opportunities to protect species from both local and regional extinctions.

Lichen is a mutualism symbiotic organism between fungi (mycobiont) and photosynthetic symbiont in the form of algae (photobiont). It can be found from the lowlands to the highlands, growing epiphytically on soil, rocks, weathered wood, and tree bark, as shown on surface of the tea plants (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) in The PT Sarana Mandiri Mukti Tea plantation in Kepahiang regency, Bengkulu Province. The purpose of this research was to identify and find out the species of epiphytic lichens on the tea plant in this place. The study was conducted in May–November 2019. Samples was collected purposively, by taken ephyphitic lichens growth on the bark of tea plants stems. Then, samples was identified based on morphological characteristics at the Basic Science Biosystematics Laboratory, FMIPA University of Bengkulu. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively. It was identified as many as 35 species of lichens from the Ascomycota division, belonged to three classes, six orders, 11 families; those are Graphidaaceae, Stereocaulaceae, Parmeliaceae, Lecanoraceae, Malmideaeceae, Pertusariaceae, Teloschistaceae, Caliciaceae, Physciaceae, Arthoniaceae, dan Pyrenulaceae. 23 species have crustose type thalus and 12 species have foliose type thalus.

Three species of the family Teloschistaceae (lichenized Ascomycota) are described as new to science from Southern and Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Corticolous Caloplaca saviczii belongs to the genus Caloplaca s. str.; it has C. cerina-like apothecia and green to grey-green, crateriform soralia with a white rim. Lendemeriella aureopruinosa is a saxicolous taxon with a thin grey thallus and small apothecia 0.3–0.6 mm in diameter, with a dark orange disc usually bearing epipsamma and often with a grey true exciple containing the pigment Cinereorufa-green. Orientophila infirma is a corticolous species with an endophloeodal thallus and small orange apothecia, 0.2–0.3 mm in diameter, usually with an inconspicuous thalline exciple. All new taxa presumably have a boreal north-eastern distribution in Asia.

Coral reef growth is primarily determined by constructive and bioerosive processes acting on key reef-building organisms. Among them, corals are major contributors to the construction of reef frameworks, while crustose coralline algae (CCA) primarily take part in reef cementation. Despite the significance of CCA for reef ecology and functioning, there is very little information on CCA bioerosion rates, in particular in reefs influenced by coastal upwelling. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the percentage and rates of internal bioerosion by macroborer invertebrates in two dominant CCA species and to explore whether the oceanographic variability influences the nature of bioerosion in coral reefs of the Tayrona Natural National Park (Colombian Caribbean). Annual rates of gross calcium carbonate production for Lithoplyllum kaiseri and Porolithon antillarum were 0.556 (± 0.38) and 0.883 (± 1.0) g CaCO3 cm−2 year−1, respectively, and estimates of percent area covered by macroborer boreholes showed values of 29.7% for L. kaiseri and 18.0% for P. antillarum. Rates of calcium carbonate removal by internal macroborers in L. kaiseri (0.19 ± 0.17 g CaCO3 cm−2 year−1) were higher than those in P. antillarum (0.14 ± 0.17 g CaCO3 cm−2 year−1). The percentage of internal bioerosion did not vary significantly across climatic/oceanographic seasons. Boreholes produced by mollusks, polychaetes, sponges and sipunculids were identified, with mollusks having the highest erosion activity. A total of 2,095 individuals of boring and opportunistic organisms were identified and grouped into 29 families (17 polychaetes, 4 mollusks, 2 sipunculids and 6 crustaceans). The composition of the macroborer invertebrate community also varied between CCA species, with higher boreholes attributed to vermetids in L. kaiseri than in P. antillarum. Although there is no clear influence of climatic seasons on internal bioerosion, the high rates of CCA bioerosion may reduce reef consolidation in the region.

Lecanoras. lat. is a genus of crustose, rarely placodioid lichens comprisingc. 1000 recognized species and subdivided into several morphology-based groups. Some of these groups have been supported in phylogenetic analyses and segregated as new genera. One of the remaining groups that has not been previously studied by molecular methods in much detail, theL. saligna-group, includes corticolous and lignicolous crustose lichens, usually containing isousnic or usnic acid (or both) as major secondary metabolites. As part of our ongoing project ‘Lecanomics’, a phylogenetic analysis based on two loci was conducted and found theL. saligna-group to be divided into two main clades and several well-supported minor clades. TheL. variaclade, chosen as one of the outgroups, emerged within theL. saligna-group. The majority of the clades are characterized by phenotypic differences. However, several well-supported clades share similarities with their sister groups, suggesting that species circumscriptions based solely on phenotypic characters may be too conservative to characterize the true species diversity present within the group. Also, there is evidence for some geographical separation of lineages; for example, most North American individuals, previously known asLecanora salignaandL. albellula, form two clades separate from their European namesakes and are here preliminarily called ‘Lecanorasp. B’, ‘Lecanorasp. C’ and ‘Lecanorasp. D’. However,L. salignaandL. albellulaalso appear to occur in North America, and some specimens from the Caucasus and Iran cluster within the North American clades.Lecanora anoptaandL. subravidaare reported for the first time from Iran.

Introduction. The genus Lepraria includes diffuse or indefinitely delimited species, always sterile, Lendemer (1) naming it „the most unusual member of the sterile lichen crusts”. According to Tonsberg (2), the leprarioid state appeared as an adaptation to a substrate characterized by dry surfaces, in sites with high humidity and low illumination. The thallus is leprose with an entirely sorediate surface. The lack of fruiting bodies has made the lichens from this group among the least known and studied for a long time. The increase in the number of studies on sterile crustose lichens in recent period has led to an increase in the number of accepted species of the genus Lepraria. The information on the genus Lepraria is not uniformly distributed, the current checklist describes only two species, L. caesioalba and L. finkii in Romania. The recent appearance of several studies that indicate the presence in Romania of other species of the genus mentioned, created the motivation of this study. Material and methods. This study is based on material from the Babes-Bolyai University (CL) herbaria in Cluj-Napoca, Romania and literature data. For 13 species, specimens have been examined. Results. The key for the species of genus Lepraria is proposed, adapted from Wirth (3). The species distribution maps in Romania are given. Conclusions. Fifteen Romanian species are revised, Lepraria eburnea, L. ecorticata, L. umbricola were reported from two locations, L. neglecta was found only in one location. Most widely distributed species in Romania seems to be L. finkii and L. membranacea.

Large eukaryotes support diverse communities of microbes on their surface—epibiota—that profoundly influence their biology. Alternate factors known to structure complex patterns of microbial diversity—host evolutionary history and ecology, environmental conditions and stochasticity—do not act independently and it is challenging to disentangle their relative effects. Here, we surveyed the epibiota from 38 sympatric seaweed species that span diverse clades and have convergent morphology, which strongly influences seaweed ecology. Host identity explains most of the variation in epibiont communities and deeper host phylogenetic relationships (e.g., genus level) explain a small but significant portion of epibiont community variation. Strikingly, epibiota community composition is significantly influenced by host morphology and epibiota richness increases with morphological complexity of the seaweed host. This effect is robust after controlling for phylogenetic non-independence and is strongest for crustose seaweeds. We experimentally validated the effect of host morphology by quantifying bacterial community assembly on latex sheets cut to resemble three seaweed morphologies. The patterns match those observed in our field survey. Thus, biodiversity increases with habitat complexity in host-associated microbial communities, mirroring patterns observed in animal communities. We suggest that host morphology and structural complexity are underexplored mechanisms structuring microbial communities.

Free-living forms of crustose coralline algae (rhodoliths) accumulate on shallow-water marine shelves in many regions worldwide. They form their own benthic habitats termed ‘rhodolith beds' and their deposits are well preserved in the rock record. Characteristics of rhodolith deposits can be used to interpret ancient water depths, light levels, and water energies. Accurate paleoceanographic interpretations rely on large-scale, detailed studies of living rhodolith beds, but these studies are scarce. Spencer Gulf in South Australia has the largest living rhodolith beds in southeastern Australia (∼ 3,000 km2). Documentation of these rhodolith deposits includes facies analysis, coralline algal taxonomy, characterization of growth forms and morphometrics, and integration with oceanographic data. Extensive oceanographic data and hydrodynamic modeling enable comparisons between rhodolith morphologies and bottom water energies with unprecedented accuracy. Rhodolith deposits in the gulf are intermixed with carbonate sands and muds under diverse hydrodynamic conditions, with current speeds up to 1.04 m s−1. At least five coralline algal genera construct rhodoliths in Spencer Gulf. Growth forms include fruticose, lumpy, and warty. Rhodolith morphologies imply that water energy is not the only thing affecting rhodolith movement and growth; rhodoliths can also be shifted by fish and invertebrates. Linear regression models in this study evaluate relationships between rhodolith morphometrics (mean diameter, sphericity, and branch density) and maximum bottom water speeds in Spencer Gulf and their results support the idea that water energy is not a major control on rhodolith morphology under these water energy conditions. Previous studies have revealed that the relationship between rhodolith morphologies and water energy levels is complicated and many authors have cautioned to not rely solely on rhodolith morphologies to interpret paleoceanographic conditions. Results of this study demonstrate that accurate paleoceanographic interpretations cannot be made based on rhodolith morphologies alone, but should also include sedimentology, coralline taxonomy, and associated biota.

Algal turfs are currently the most abundant benthic component on most coral reefs. Their wide distribution, functional role and positive responseto factors that stress corals confirm their importance in the functioning of reef ecosystem. It has been shown that species composition, structuraldevelopment and sediment retention influence their capacity to kill and displace adjacent live coral tissue. In this study in two reefs of the Tayrona National Natural Park (Colombian Caribbean), the variation in structure of turfs growing on and in direct interaction with massive live corals was determined,and its structural complexity was related with its sediment retention capacity. For that, the taxonomical composition was determined, and canopy height, cover and density of filaments and algal biomass were quantified for turfs growing on live colonies of four species of corals. The results showed that there are important structural differences between reefs and substratum type. In Granate reef (10-16 m), turfs form discontinuous carpets over crustose algae, and are constituted by articulated calcareous and little corticated algae, and juveniles of frondose algae, mostly of the genus Dictyota. During coastal upwelling, this genus grows profusely forming transient dense algal beds that later detach. In contrast, in Nenguange reef (4-6 m), turfs are perennial, form low, thick and dense carpets, with few crustose algae, and are dominated by filamentous and small corticated algae. It´s suggested that the presence of territories ofdamselfishes (Stegastes spp.) aid controlling the structural complexity of the turfs, and that vegetative propagation is the most frequent growth mechanism. In addition, it was found that the most morphologically complex turfs can retain greater amounts of sediments (silt-clay). This particulate material supports them; they can advance laterally and smother adjacent live coral tissue. This investigation provides the first quantitative data on the structure and amount of retained sediments by algal turfs growing on Colombian reef corals.

Lichen is an organism resulting from a symbiotic association between fungi and algae in mutualistic symbiosis and eroticism, forming a morphological unity that is different from other species from its constituent components. This study aims to determine the level of lichen species diversity that grows in mangrove forests in Tomoli Village, Parigi Moutong Regency. This research was conducted in July 2019. The method used in this study was a survey method, the sampling technique was purposive sampling, namely by using a 10 cm x 10 cm plot on the mangrove trees in each path at the research location. The research results found ten types of lichen consisting of six genera, five families, seven orders, and four classes divided into two groups based on the kind of thallus, namely lichen crustose and foliose. The crustose lichen group is Aspicilia calcarea, Aspicilia sp, Pyrenula sp, Pyrenula dermatodes, Pyrenula santensis, Cryptothecia striata, Phaeographis sp, Graphis script, Verrucaria sp. Meanwhile, the foliose lichen group is Flavoparmelia caperata. The lichen diversity index value obtained in the mangrove forest in Tomoli Village was 2,225, indicating that the level of diversity is moderate.

Dew is commonly regarded as an important water source for lichens. This is also the case for crustose lichens that are attached to the substrate, whether rocks or soil. While being verified during ample research on rock-dwelling lichens in the Negev, the findings from soil-dwelling lichens (lichen biocrusts) are not conclusive. In the Tabernas Desert, the soil surface is characterized by a lush cover of crustose lichens. These soil biocrusts (biological soil crusts) were reported to use dew for photosynthesis while, at the same time, it was also observed that these crustose chlorolichens are relatively non-wettable. In an attempt to explore the apparent controversy, two year-long meteorological data (minimum air temperature and relative humidity, RH), during which chlorolichens were thought to utilize dew for photosynthesis (2006–2007) were analyzed. The analysis includes a comparison to the meteorological conditions that prevailed in the Negev during 135 days of manual dew measurements. As found for the Negev, net photosynthesis by the chlorolichens is expected once the RH, as measured at the meteorological station, is ≥90% while vapor condensation (dew) is expected once RH is ≥95%. RH in the Negev was substantially higher than the average RH of 75.0–87.2% registered during the rainless days of 2006–2007 in the Tabernas, implying that RH in the Tabernas is too low to facilitate frequent dew formation and net photosynthesis by the lichens. Photosynthesis in the Tabernas is mainly confined to rainy periods, taking place either due to direct wetting by rain, or following vapor condensation from the subsurface (distillation). Our findings do not support the view that dew is an important water source for the establishment and growth of crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas. Moreover, the low RH in the Tabernas may also imply that dew may only have a very limited role in providing water to lithobionts in this ecosystem.

RESUMEN Los trópicos albergan la mayor biodiversidad del planeta, pero todavía son zonas inexploradas. Entre estas áreas remotas se encuentran los Tepuyes del Valle de Nangaritza, en la provincia de Zamora Chin-chipe, al sureste de Ecuador. Constituyen sistemas montañosos aislados de gran importancia biológica y con altos niveles de endemicidad. Debido a estas características, el objetivo principal del estudio es elaborar el primer catálogo de líquenes epifitos de varios Tepuyes del Valle de Nangaritza. Como resultado de dos expediciones realizadas en los Tepuyes, entre 900 y 2000 m de altitud, se recolectaron aproximadamente 1.000 muestras de líquenes en diferentes hábitats: bosque denso piemontano, bosque denso montano bajo, bosque chaparro y páramo arbustivo atípico. Se identificaron 174 especies, pertenecientes a 57 géneros y 26 familias. De ellas, trece especies son nuevos registros para Sudamé-rica, 64 para Ecuador y 132 para la provincia de Zamora Chinchipe. Se encontraron nuevos quimiótipos para especies de la familia Cladoniaceae. La forma de crecimiento crustácea fue dominante, con alrededor del 40 % de la riqueza total, siendo Graphidaceae la familia con mayor riqueza (27 especies). Predominaron las especies de líquenes con alga verde como fotobionte, presentando Trenthepholia un gran número de especies (66 especies). Este catálogo es una primera aproximación al conocimiento de la diversidad de líquenes de los Tepuyes del Valle de Nangaritza, donde el alto número de nuevos registros indican la falta de conocimiento de la diversidad asociada a estos bosques tropicales. ABSTRACT Tropics harbour the greatest biodiversity in the planet but are still largely unknown. Among these remote areas, there are the Tepuyes of Nangaritza Valley, in the Zamora Chinchipe province, southeastern Ecuador. They constitute isolated mountainous systems with great biological importance and high levels of endemicity. Therefore, the main objective of this study was the elaboration of the first catalogue of epiphytic lichens from several Tepuyes in the Nangaritza Valley. Two expeditions were carried out in two Tepuyes, between 900 and 2000 m of altitude, approximately 1,000 samples of lichens where collected at different habitats: piemontane wet forest, lower montane wet forest, dwarf forest, and paramillo. We identified 174 lichen species, belonging to 57 genera and 26 families. We found thirteen new records for South America, 64 for Ecuador, and 132 for the Zamora Chinchipe province. New chemotypes for species belonging to the Cladoniaceae family were found. Lichens with a crustose growth-form were the most abundant with around 40 % of the total richness, being Graphidaceae the richest family (27 species). Lichen species with green algae as photobiont were dominant, and especially those with Trenthepholia (66 species). This catalogue is a first approximation to the knowledge of the diversity of lichens from the Tepuyes of the Nangaritza Valley, and the high number of new records indicates a lack of knowledge of the biodiversity from these tropical forests.

The spatial structure of ecological communities on tropical coral reefs across seascapes and geographies have historically been poorly understood. Here we addressed this for the first time using spatially expansive and thematically resolved benthic community data collected around five uninhabited central Pacific oceanic islands, spanning 6° latitude and 17° longitude. Using towed-diver digital image surveys over ~140 linear km of shallow (8–20 m depth) tropical reef, we highlight the autocorrelated nature of coral reef seascapes. Benthic functional groups and hard coral morphologies displayed significant spatial clustering (positive autocorrelation) up to kilometre-scales around all islands, in some instances dominating entire sections of coastline. The scale and strength of these autocorrelation patterns showed differences across geographies, but patterns were more similar between islands in closer proximity and of a similar size. For example, crustose coralline algae (CCA) were clustered up to scales of 0.3 km at neighbouring Howland and Baker Islands and macroalgae were spatially clustered at scales up to ~3 km at both neighbouring Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll. Of all the functional groups, macroalgae had the highest levels of spatial clustering across geographies at the finest resolution of our data (100 m). There were several cases where the upper scale at which benthic community members showed evidence of spatial clustering correlated highly with the upper scales at which concurrent gradients in physical environmental drivers were spatially clustered. These correlations were stronger for surface wave energy than subsurface temperature (regardless of benthic group) and turf algae and CCA had the closest alignments in scale with wave energy across functional groups and geographies. Our findings suggest such physical drivers not only limit or promote the abundance of various benthic competitors on coral reefs, but also play a key role in governing their spatial scaling properties across seascapes.

Bacidia pycnidiata (Ramalinaceae), Malmidea nigromarginata (Malmideaceae), Porina malmei and P. nuculastrum (Porinaceae), and Pyrenula laetior and P. wrightii (Pyrenulaceae) are reported for the first time from India. The specimens were collected from the state of Assam. Taxonomic descriptions, distributions, and illustrations are provided for each species.

Climatically extreme regions such as the polar deserts of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (78° S) in Continental Antarctica are key areas for a better understanding of changes in ecosystems. Therefore, it is particularly important to analyze and communicate current patterns of biodiversity in these sensitive areas, where precipitation mostly occurs in form of snow and liquid water is rare. Humidity provided by dew, clouds, and fog are the main water sources, especially for rock-dwelling crustose lichens as one of the most common vegetation-forming organisms. We investigated the diversity and interaction specificity of myco-/photobiont associations of 232 crustose lichen specimens, collected along an elevational gradient (171–959 m a.s.l.) within the McMurdo Dry Valleys. The mycobiont species and photobiont OTUs were identified by using three markers each (nrITS, mtSSU, RPB1, and nrITS, psbJ-L, COX2). Elevation, positively associated with water availability, turned out to be the key factor explaining most of the distribution patterns of the mycobionts. Pairwise comparisons showed Lecidea cancriformis and Rhizoplaca macleanii to be significantly more common at higher elevations and Carbonea vorticosa and Lecidea polypycnidophora at lower elevations. Lichen photobionts were dominated by the globally distributed Trebouxia OTU, Tr_A02 which occurred at all habitats. Network specialization resulting from myco-/photobiont bipartite network structure varied with elevation and associated abiotic factors. Along an elevational gradient, the spatial distribution, diversity, and genetic variability of the lichen symbionts appear to be mainly influenced by improved water relations at higher altitudes.

Structure and diversity of sessile zoobenthic assemblages seem to be driven not only by chemical-physical constraints and biological interactions but also by substrate lithology and its surface features. Nevertheless, broadly distributed crustose epilithic corallines could mask the role of substrate on animal settling. To evaluate the direct influence of different rocky substrates, occurrence and coverage of several sessile species, growing on the dark (i.e. coralline-free) face of sublittoral limestone and granite boulders were compared in the Tavolara MPA (Mediterranean Sea). The analysis of photographic samples demonstrated significant differences in terms of species composition and coverage, according to lithology. Moreover, limestone boulders were widely bare, while the cover per cent was almost total on granite. The leading cause of observed patterns could be the different level of dissolution of the two types of rocks, due to their different mineral composition and textural characteristics. Limestone has previously been shown to have higher dissolution compared with granite, and consequently, a more unstable surface. Our results suggest that, in dark habitats, the absence of the crustose coralline layer allows more rock dissolution and consequent lower stability of the limestone compared with granite, which, in turn, reduces the zoobenthos colonization.

The humid tropical and subtropical forests in South China harbour a rich diversity of crustose lichens. As a result of taxonomic studies of Anisomeridium, two species new to science are described. Comparisons and discussions with similar species are given. In addition, a key to the species of Anisomeridium in China is also provided.

Most benthic invertebrates, including ecosystem engineers such as corals, sponges and bivalves, have a motile planktonic larval phase and rely on specific chemical cues to identify a suitable substrate to settle. Crustose coralline algae (CCA) can induce settlement and metamorphosis responses in many invertebrates including corals. We tested the respective coral settlement capacity of multiple CCA species in a choice experiment and investigated the composition of their microbiomes. Our findings revealed that coral larval settlement was drastically influenced by CCA genera and also suggest that bacterial communities on the CCA surface can potentially serve as a driver of coral larval settlement. The composition of the bacterial communities on the surface of the least attractive CCA genus, Neogoniolithon fosliei, was markedly different from the other genera, Porolithon gardineri and Titanoderma prototypum and was significantly enriched in Vibrio and Flammeovirgaceae. The activity of CCA-associated bacterial communities may contribute to some of the variability observed in settlement responses between CCA species. Specific bacterial ASVs assigned to the Neptuniibacter, Methylotrophic Group 3 and Cellvibrionaceae were positively correlated with coral settlement. Conversely, ASVs assigned as Vibrio and Flammeovirga were negatively correlated with coral settlement. This study identifies putative bacterial taxa involved in coral settlement, which is an essential step to understand the chemical cues involved in this process and to predict the ability of corals to recolonize damaged reefs following disturbances.

Primary producers in terrestrial and marine systems can be affected by fungal pathogens threatening the provision of critical ecosystem services. Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are ecologically important members of tropical reef systems and are impacted by coralline fungal disease (CFD) which manifests as overgrowth of the CCA crust by fungal lesions causing partial to complete mortality of the CCA host. No natural controls for CFD have been identified, but nominally herbivorous fish could play a role by consuming pathogenic fungi. We documented preferential grazing on fungal lesions by adults of six common reef-dwelling species of herbivorous Acanthuridae and Labridae, (surgeonfish and parrotfish) which collectively demonstrated an ~ 80-fold higher grazing rate on fungal lesions relative to their proportionate benthic coverage, and a preference for lesions over other palatable substrata (e.g. live scleractinian coral, CCA, or algae). Furthermore, we recorded a ~ 600% increase in live CFD lesion size over an approximately 2-week period when grazing by herbivorous fish was experimentally excluded suggesting that herbivorous reef fish could control CFD progression by directly reducing biomass of the fungal pathogen. Removal rates may be sufficient to allow CCA to recover from infection and explain historically observed natural waning behaviour after an outbreak. Thus, in addition to their well-known role as determinants of macroalgal overgrowth of reefs, herbivorous fish could thus also be important in control of diseases affecting crustose coralline algae that stabilize the foundation of coral reef substrata. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00442-020-04697-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Phyllobaeis is mainly a Neotropical genus and contains six species. It has a squamulose primary thallus (except for one species with crustose primary thallus), stipitate podetia, and simple or 1-septate hyaline, ovoid to fusiform ascospores. The species occur mainly on soil in altitudes of 700 to 4,400 m. In Brazil three species are known, recorded mainly from the southeast. The aim of this work is contributing to the knowledge of the distribution of Phyllobaeis in Brazil. We studied specimens from southern Brazil. The morphological, anatomical and chemical analyses follow standard lichenological protocols. We found two species in southern Brazil: Phyllobaeis erythrella, which is the first record to Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul states; and P. rubescens, which is the first record to Paraná and Santa Catarina states. Both occur in environments on the plateau, as well as in high-grasslands, between 700 to 1400 m altitude. A distribution map in Brazil, descriptions, figures and a key to the species of Phyllobaeis are given.

Spatially broad and long-term monitoring studies are lacking in tropical intertidal systems yet are necessary to test predictions regarding community assembly. To fill this gap, we examined spatial and decadal temporal patterns in benthic community structure at rocky intertidal sites along the main islands of Hawai‘i. Quantitative community surveys done in 2017 across nine sites and five islands showed that organismal composition differed by site, substrate type, and island. Secondly, we leveraged an earlier dataset collected using the same methods and analyzed intertidal communities at five sites on three Hawaiian islands for temporal changes in organismal abundance and composition from 2006 and 2007 vs. 2016 and 2017. Overall community structure differed significantly across years and decades. Most decadal differences were site specific, such as the fivefold increase in turf algae at one site. Crustose coralline algae and Turbinaria ornata increased significantly across five sites; both are physically resilient algae and similar increases in their abundances have been observed in tropical systems worldwide. This increase in physically resilient macroalgal species is potentially caused by global drivers, such as rising temperatures and changing land uses. In conclusion, there is evidence that both local and regional factors contribute to structuring tropical intertidal communities.

Cryptothecia aleurodes was considered to be a widespread, rare tropical lichen having white ascigerous areas and a crustose whitish-grey thallus containing norstictic acid. A revision of its type specimen from Guadeloupe and the study of recent specimens from Martinique proved that the species has been misunderstood. In this paper, Cryptothecia aleurodes is shown to have a K– and C+ red thallus containing notably gyrophoric acid as major secondary metabolite but lacking norstictic acid. A detailed description and illustrations are provided. The species is known with certainty only from the Caribbean and has probably a Neotropical distribution. Previous reports of C. aleurodes from the Seychelles and Thailand are shown to be misidentifications and reports from India are considered dubious.

Lithophyllum okamurae is one of the important encrusting coralline algae, which plays important roles as primary producer, carbonate sediment builder, and habitat provider in the marine ecosystems. In this study, L. okamurae was collected from tropical coast of Sanya, and firstly described based on both detailed morph-anatomical characteristics and molecular studies of typic DNA sequences. The structure of the thalli of L. okamurae was pseudoparenchymatous construction with radially organized dimerous organizations in the crustose portion. The pseudoparenchymatous construction were composed of three parts, including 1 to 3 layers of epithelia cells which had flatten to round outermost walls, one layer of square or rectangular cells of the hypothallia and multiple layers of square or elongated rectangular peripheral cells. Palisade cells were observed, and the cells of the contiguous vegetative filaments were connected by secondary pit-connections with cell fusions absent. The carposporangial conceptacles, the spermatangial conceptacles, the bisporangial conceptacles and the tetrasporangial conceptacles were observed, and all these four kinds of conceptacles were uniporate. The spermatangial conceptacles were slightly convex and buried at shallow depths in the thalli tissues, and the carposporangial conceptacles and asexual conceptacles were protruding and conical. Phylogenetic studies based on DNA barcoding markers of 18S rDNA, COI, rbcL and psbA revealed that L. okamurae clustered with the closest relation of L. atlanticum, and formed a distinct branch. Based on the comparative anatomical features and the molecular data, the detailed description of the valid species of L. okamurae was firstly given in this study to provide theoretical basis for algae resources utilization and conservation in marine ecosystems.

Corticolous lichens in the central mountains of Sri Lanka differ with vegetation type, disturbance and climate. All growth forms of lichens were studied in 42 plots (six plots × seven vegetation types), yielding 124 species. Lichen species diversity varied with number of tree species per plot (correlations) and differed with disturbance group, vegetation type and climate zone (general linear models). Lichen community composition (estimated cover of 74 species each at ≥ 3 plots) varied along two ordination gradients secondarily correlated with disturbance (nonmetric multidimensional scaling, NMS). Undisturbed and disturbed plots (mostly grouped by vegetation type) were divided along NMS axis 1, correlating with distance to undisturbed forest. Longest-disturbed plots differed from all others along NMS axis 2 and were correlated with canopy cover. Climate was weakly reflected on the ordination as the proximity of two plot clusters in montane vegetation types. Indicator species analyses (ISA) of lichen cover by plot identified 60 strong indicator species (indicator value ≥ 50%, P Graphidaceae). Each vegetation type had at least one indicator with trentepohliod algae (increasing for undisturbed plots) and one with chlorococcoid algae. Two visually distinct indicator species, three genera and two multi-genus groups will be useful to parataxonomists in forest evaluation.

Seawater acidification from increasing CO2 is often enhanced in coastal waters due to elevated nutrients and sedimentation. Our understanding of the effects of ocean and coastal acidification on present-day ecosystems is limited. Here we use data from three independent large-scale reef monitoring programs to assess coral reef responses associated with changes in mean aragonite saturation state (Ωar ) in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBR). Spatial declines in mean Ωar are associated with monotonic declines in crustose coralline algae (up to 3.1-fold) and coral juvenile densities (1.3-fold), while non-calcifying macroalgae greatly increase (up to 3.2-fold), additionally to their natural changes across and along the GBR. These three key groups of organisms are important proxies for coral reef health. Our data suggest a tipping point at Ωar 3.5-3.6 for these coral reef health indicators. Suspended sediments acted as an additive stressor. The latter suggests that effective water quality management to reduce suspended sediments might locally and temporarily reduce the pressure from ocean acidification on these organisms.

A revision of 47 specimens of crustose Teloschistaceae (so-called “Caloplaca s. lat.”) from the Russian Far East in the herbarium LE belonging to 21 species is resulted in re-identification of 18 specimens and new records. Blastenia furfuracea from the Kamchatka Peninsula is new to the Russian Far East. Caloplaca fraudans is new to the Kamchatka Peninsula. Records of Blastenia ferruginea, B. hungarica, Caloplaca haematites and Solitaria chrysophthalma are doubtful for the Far East. Placodium haematites var. ussuriense Tomin [≡ Caloplaca haematites var. ussuriensis (Tomin) Zahlbr.] is lectotypified and synonymized under Caloplaca stillicidiorum s. lat.

Warming surface ocean temperatures combined with the continued diffusion of atmospheric CO2 into seawater have been shown to have detrimental impacts on calcareous marine organisms in tropical and temperate localities. However, greater oceanic CO2 uptake in higher latitudes may present a higher oceanic acidification risk to carbonate organisms residing in Arctic and subarctic habitats. This is especially true for crustose coralline algae that build their skeletons using high-Mg calcite, which is among the least stable and most soluble of the carbonate minerals. Here we present a century-long annually resolved growth, density, and calcification rate record from the crustose coralline alga Clathromorphum nereostratum, a dominant calcifier in Pacific Arctic and subarctic benthic communities. Specimens were collected from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska (USA), a region that has undergone a long-term decline of 0.08 ± 0.01 pH units since the late 19th century. Growth and calcification rates remain relatively stable throughout the record, but skeletal densities have declined substantially since A.D. 1983. Strong correlations to warming sea-surface temperatures indicate that temperature stress may play a significant role in influencing the ability of corallines to calcify. Decreasing algal skeletal density may offset the benefits of continued growth and calcification due to a weakening in structural integrity, which could have detrimental consequences for the diverse reef-like communities associated with algal structures in mid-to-high latitudes.

Ocellularia (Graphidaceae) is a genus of crustose lichens comprising c.200 species, four known from Australia and New Zealand. Based on recent collections from northern North Island, we describe a ...

Prior exposure to variable environmental conditions is predicted to influence the resilience of marine organisms to global change. We conducted complementary 4-month field and laboratory experiments to understand how a dynamic, and sometimes extreme, environment influences growth rates of a tropical reef-building crustose coralline alga and its responses to ocean acidification (OA). Using a reciprocal transplant design, we quantified calcification rates of the Caribbean coralline Lithophyllum sp. at sites with a history of either extreme or moderate oxygen, temperature, and pH regimes. Calcification rates of in situ corallines at the extreme site were 90% lower than those at the moderate site, regardless of origin. Negative effects of corallines originating from the extreme site persisted even after transplanting to more optimal conditions for 20 weeks. In the laboratory, we tested the separate and combined effects of stress and variability by exposing corallines from the same sites to either ambient (Amb: pH 8.04) or acidified (OA: pH 7.70) stable conditions or variable (Var: pH 7.80-8.10) or acidified variable (OA-Var: pH 7.45–7.75) conditions. There was a negative effect of all pH treatments on Lithophyllum sp. calcification rates relative to the control, with lower calcification rates in corallines from the extreme site than from the moderate site in each treatment, indicative of a legacy effect of site origin on subsequent response to laboratory treatment. Our study provides ecologically relevant context to understanding the nuanced effects of OA on crustose coralline algae, and illustrates how local environmental regimes may influence the effects of global change.

Successful recruitment of invertebrate larvae to reef substrates is essential to the health of tropical coral reef ecosystems and their capacity to recover from disturbances. Crustose calcifying red algae (CCRA) have been identified as important recruitment substrates for scleractinian corals. As such, CCRA as a whole or subgroups (e.g., crustose coralline algae, CCA) are often used at the functional group level in experimental, ecological, and monitoring studies. Species of CCRA, however, differ in their ecological roles and their value as coral recruitment substrates. Here, we (1) investigate the species richness and community composition of CCRA on experimental coral recruitment tiles, and (2) assess if there is a recruitment preference of the coralAcropora surculosafor any of these CCRA species. 27 species of two orders of CCRA (Corallinales and Peyssonneliales) were identified from the recruit tiles. None of the DNA sequences of these species matched released sequences in GenBank or sequences of CCRA collected from natural reef systems in Guam. The similarity in CCRA communities between the recruitment tiles was high. Two species of CCRA were significantly preferred as recruitment substrates over the other CCRA species. Both of these species belonged to the subfamily of the Lithophylloideae. These two species are closely related to Pacific species that have been referred to asTitanoderma-but probably have to be assigned to another genus- and many of the latter have been attributed to be preferred coral recruitment substrates. Of all CCRA, Lithophylloideae sp. 1 had the highest benthic cover on the recruitment tiles and was the most preferred recruitment substrate. These findings highlight the high taxonomic diversity of CCRA communities and provide insight into species-specific ecological roles of CCRA that are often overlooked.

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Bactrospora es un género de líquenes costrosos que se caracteriza por el color negro, aspecto verrucoso a denticulado y pequeño de sus apotecios, posee esporas mayoritariamente aciculares y en ocasiones muriformes, pero siempre más largas que anchas. El género está representado por 38 especies aceptadas. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir Bactrospora totonacae, una especie nueva del bosque tropical seco de Veracruz, México.Métodos: Los especímenes fueron recolectados en el “Cerro de los Metates”, municipio Actopan, Veracruz, México. Se realizaron pruebas macroquímicas, reacción UV y cromatografía en capa fina; asimismo, con la solución de Lugol se verificó la presencia de sustancias amiloides distribuidas en el talo y el ascoma. Las muestras estudiadas se depositaron en el herbario XALU de la Facultad de Biología de la Universidad Veracruzana.Resultados clave: La nueva especie Bactrospora totonacae se caracteriza por presentar pruina K + magenta rojizo en el disco. Conclusiones: La especie que se describe en Bactrospora es única porque la combinación de pruina K + magenta rojizo y un excípulo carbonizado y grueso no había sido reportada en alguna otra especie de este género.

The species diversity is significantly associated with forest structure and species composition of tropical forest communities. Humans have also been exploiting lichens and their substances for various purposes since long time and they area also act as Bioindicators. The main objective of the present study is to document the diversity and distribution pattern of lichen in the dry areas of Malnad region. In present communication we analysed diversity, distribution pattern of 29 species of lichens from tropical forests in Mallenahalli forest of Chikkamagaluru district. The study area covers moist and dry deciduous type of vegetation. From the present enumeration we recorded 17 macrolichen, and 12 microlichens species belongs to 17 genera and 15 families. Habitat specialization can account for the coexistence of lichen species in tropical forests. The members of families Parmeliaceae (7), Physciaceae (3), Pertusariaceae (3) exhibited the maximum species in the area. In our study, the foliose lichens were dominant, comprising 14 species followed by 12 species for crustose and three species for fruticose lichens.