Graduation Date
Spring 2023
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Science degree with a major in Biology
Committee Chair Name
Terry Henkel
Committee Chair Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Marie Antoine
Second Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Third Committee Member Name
Erik Jules
Third Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Fourth Committee Member Name
Heidi Rutschow
Fourth Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Fifth Committee Member Name
Bruce McCune
Fifth Committee Member Affiliation
Community Member or Outside Professional
Subject Categories
Biology
Abstract
Macrolichen diversity and community composition was determined for an area of high botanical interest in the Coast Ranges of Northern California – the Horse Mountain Botanical Area (HMBA) in Six Rivers National Forest. The Coast Ranges have been suggested to have high epiphytic macrolichen diversity, yet detailed site-specific macrolichen surveys are lacking for the area. Here we present comprehensive data on macrolichens of the HMBA integrated with environmental metadata at the landscape level. Twenty 0.4 ha sampling plots were positioned across the varying habitats of the HMBA and macrolichens were intensively sampled from all substrata. Out of 888 total collections, 119 macrolichen species in 52 genera were identified, sequenced for the mycobiont internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and vouchered. Microenvironmental influences on lichen community composition were ordinated with nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS). Within-plot measured environmental variables correlated to ordination Axis 1 were 1) total tree basal area, 2) proportion of conifer basal area relative to hardwoods, and 3) distance between plot center and nearest stream. Distinct macrolichen communities were found in plots containing primarily conifers versus mixed hardwood-conifer plots. Total abundances of species with particular functional traits were calculated to enhance plot metadata. When epiphytic macrolichen species richness and dominance within the HMBA were compared to data from other regional National Forest plots, the HMBA showed comparable community composition but higher species richness. An annotated species checklist from this study can help inform management of the HMBA as well as future taxonomic and ecological research on regional macrolichens.
Citation Style
APA
Recommended Citation
Conway, Sarah Norvell, "Macrolichen inventory of the Horse Mountain botanical area, Six Rivers National Forest, California, USA" (2023). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 649.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/649
Included in
Biodiversity Commons, Biology Commons, Botany Commons, Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons