[BEN-L]BEN # 420
Adolf Ceska
aceska at telus.net
Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:57:43 -0800
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BBBBB EEEEE NN N N BOTANICAL
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=20
No. 420 January 8, 2010=20
=20
aceska@telus.net Victoria, B.C.
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Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2
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IS RSS POISED TO REPLACE EMAIL AS THE MEDIUM TO DISTRIBUTE BEN?
From: Scott D. Russell srussell@ou.edu=20
Since April 26, 2005, BEN has been available by news feeds using RSS
('Really Simple Syndication').=A0 The news article at URL:
http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/ben348.html#5 was certainly =
ahead
of its time, but RSS is now an important means for promoting social
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Daniel Mosquin continues to host the BEN news at his website at=A0
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This continues to be a good way to keep up with BEN (but so also is =
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still be a delivery mechanism of choice to many readers.
CANADIAN LICHENOLOGIST TREVOR GOWARD HONOURED BY HIS FINNISH COLLEAGUES
From: Adolf Ceska aceska@telus.net=20
My friend Trevor Goward, a leading Canadian lichenologist, was recently
honoured by his Finnish colleagues. The name of a new genus, _Gowardia_, =
=93is
dedicated to Trevor Goward, B.C., Canada, for his remarkable and ongoing
work on North American lichens=85.=94 (Halonen et al. 2009)
=93_Gowardia_,=94 writes the lichenologist Pekka Halonen, =93is easily
distinguished from _Alectoria_ on the basis of cortical pigments.
_Alectoria_ contains usnic acid and has a yellowish or greenish-yellow =
hue,
while this substance is lacking in _Gowardia_, which instead has melanic
pigments yielding a grayish to blackish color. _Gowardia_ is a =
circumpolar
genus essentially restricted to Arctic-alpine localities. By contrast,
_Alectoria_ is much more widely distributed, with a center of diversity =
in
temperate regions of western North America. _Alectoria ochroleuca_ =
(Hoffm.)
A. Massal. and _A. sarmentosa_ subsp. _vexillifera_ (Nyl.) D. Hawksw. =
occur
in Arctic and alpine regions, where they could be found in many areas
growing together with _Gowardia_ species.=94
At present, _Gowardia_ contains two species: _G. arctica_ P. Halonen, L.
Myllys, S.
Velmala & H. Hyv=E4rinen, sp. nov., the type of the genus, and _G. =
nigricans_
(Ach.) P. Halonen, L. Myllys, S. Velmala & H. Hyv=E4rinen, comb. nov. =
(syn.
_Alectoria nigricans_ [Ach.] Nyl.). In addition to several morphological =
and
chemical characteristics, the decision to recognize _Gowardia_ as =
distinct
from _Alectoria_ is supported by phylogenetic analysis based on combined =
ITS
and GAPDH data. _Gowardia arctica_ is known from Arctic regions of =
Canada
and Russia, while _G. nigricans_ has a wider range.
In the same article, _Alectoria vancouverensis_ (Gyeln.) Brodo & D. =
Hawksw.
is documented from Finland, which is the first report of this species
outside the Pacific coast of North America.
Reference
Halonen, P. L. Myllys, S. Velmala, & H. Hyv=E4rinen. 2009.
_Gowardia_ (Parmeliaceae)=97a new alectorioid lichen genus with two
species. _The Bryologist_ 112(1): 138-146.
_LIPARIS LOESELII_ (L.) L.C. RICH. (LOESEL'S TWAYBLADE)=A0 - A NEW =
ORCHID FOR
ALBERTA
From: Lorna Allen Lorna.Allen@gov.ab.ca=20
=A0
The first Alberta population of Loesel's twayblade (_Liparis loeselii_) =
was
located north of Fort McMurray on June 17, 2006. Twenty plants were =
counted
(seven in bloom) in a graminoid fen with water at or near the surface =
and
dominated by sedges (_Carex_ spp.) and grasses. Other species reported =
from
the general area include buck-bean (_Menyanthes trifoliata_ L.), dwarf =
birch
(_Betula pumila_=A0 L.), tamarack (_Larix laricina_ [Du Roi] K. Koch),
pitcher-plant (_Sarracenia purpurea_ L.) common cattail (_Typha =
latifolia_
L.), northern grass-of-parnassus (_Parnassia palustris_ L.) and mosses =
(Hall
and Elser 2006). Photographs were reviewed and it was confirmed to be a =
new
orchid for Alberta.
=A0
Then on July 3, 2008, a second location for Loesel's twayblade was
discovered during a trip led by Derek Johnson and organized by a =
contingent
of naturalists from the Red Deer River Naturalists Society. The site of =
this
second find is the proposed Clyde Fen Natural Area, one of the Alberta
Native Plant Council=92s stewardship sites.
=A0
Cheryl Thorpe spotted the first one, and Derek immediately identified =
it.
The group then scouted around and eventually about 15 plants in flower =
were
counted. They appeared to be growing in a particularly wet east-west
oriented swale or channel with more graminoid vegetation than the
surrounding shrubby, wet calcareous fen. For one plant, Patsy Cotterill
reports that she recorded the following associated plants: golden moss
(_Tomenthypnum nitens_ [Hedw.] Loeske), dwarf birch, tufted bulrush
(_Trichophorum cespitosum_ =A0[L.] Hartm.), mud sedge (_Carex limosa_ =
L.) and
swamp horsetail (_Equisetum fluviatile_L. emend. Ehrh. ). Pitcher-plants
were in the vicinity, and not far away.
=A0
Sometimes this plant is also called fen orchid, yellow twayblade, or =
yellow
widelip orchid. Loesel's twayblade seems to be a relatively common =
species
in eastern North America, but it is rare in the west, including
Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and south into Montana and
Washington (NatureServe 2008).=A0 It also occurs in Europe, the British =
Isles,
Scandinavia and Russia (McMaster 2001).
=A0
The species prefers calcareous sedge fens and does not tolerate much in =
the
way of tree cover.=A0 It is an inconspicuous orchid that can be hard to =
spot
in amongst the graminoids.=A0 It is a perennial herb, growing from =
bulb-like
bases (corms), with stems 7-20 cm tall.=A0 It has two glossy basal =
leaves,
5-15 cm long, that are elliptic and somewhat succulent. The leaves are
keeled on the back and narrow to winged stalks.=A0 The small, yellowish =
green
flowers are few on the stem (2 to 15) and arranged along the stem in a
raceme. The flower stalk is relatively long and upward-pointing so the
blooms stand well away from the stem. The lip is unlobed, not inflated, =
and
quite small (4-5.5 mm long). The petals are 4-5 mm long, narrower and
shorter than the sepals (4.5-6 mm long).=20
=A0
There are other orchids in Alberta called twayblades, but they belong to =
the
genus _Listera_. The _Listera_ orchids also have two leaves, but their
leaves are set part-way up the stem, not like the basal leaves of
_Liparis_.=A0 Superficially, Loesel's twayblade probably looks most like =
one
of the bog orchids (genus _Platanthera_) or perhaps a bog =
adder=92s-mouth
(_Malaxis paludosa_[L.] Sw.). Although the flowers of Loesel's twayblade =
are
small, those of the bog adder=92s-mouth are smaller (lip only up to 2.5 =
mm
long). Of the _Platanthera_, only the blunt-leaved bog orchid (_P. =
obtusata_
[Banks ex Pursh] Lindl.) has similar leaves (although it usually has =
only 1
rather than 2).=A0 The petals are also more oblong that those of =
Loesel's
twayblade.
=A0
Details on two addtional sites for Loesel's twayblade have now been
submitted to ANHIC since this article was=A0originally printed in IRIS. =
The
first population, found in August 2008, was in a wooded fen in the =
McLelland
Lake=A0area, approx 75 km N of Ft. McMurray. And the second was found =
June
2009 in the Lodge Lake fen complex, approx=A0 150 km northeast of =
Edmonton,
near Lac La Biche.With only=A0four=A0known populations in the province, =
Loesel's
twayblade is considered rare, and ranked S1.
Acknowledgements
=A0
Thanks to Patsy Cotterill, Eileen Ford=A0,=A0Derek Johnson and=A0Todd =
Kemper=A0for
their help in pulling together this write-up.
=A0
References=20
=A0
Hall, D. & J. Elser. 2006.=20
Information provided to Alberta Natural Heritage Information
Centre, Alberta Tourism Parks and Recreation, Edmonton, Alberta.
=A0McMaster, R. T. 2001.=20
The population biology of _Liparis loeselii_, Loesel's twayblade,
in a Massachusetts wetland.=A0 _The Northeastern Naturalist_ 8(2):
163-178.
=A0NatureServe. 2008.=20
_NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life_ Version
7.0._ NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.=A0=20
http://www.natureserve.org/explorer =A0
=20
Localities of _Liparis loeselii_ in Alberta
1.=A0Fen=A0approx 25 km northwest=A0of Fort McMurray;=A0found by Dawn =
Hall and
Jane=A0Elser;=A0noted=A0June=A017,=A02006;=A0verified=A0by=A0Joyce=A0Goul=
d=A0from photographs=A0
submitted.
2. Clyde Fen, approx 60 km north of Edmonton, found by Cheryl Thorpe, =
Derek
Johnson
& Patsy Cotterill July 3, 2008; verified by P. Cotterill & D. Johnson on
site and photos taken to document.
3. McLelland Fen, S of McLelland Lake and approx 75 km N of Ft.
McMurray;=A0collected=20
August 27 2008 by Linda Halsey, =A0determined by Heidi Guest. Specimen
deposited at University of Calgary herbarium (accession number not yet
available).=20
=A04. Lodge Lake Fen, approx 150 km northeast of Edmonton, found by =
Marsh
Hayward=20
June 25 2009; specimens and photos reviewed and verified by Todd Kemper.
Specimen to be deposited at University of Alberta herbarium (accession
number not yet available).
_ERIODERMA PEDICELLATUM_, BOREAL FELT LICHEN: CURRENT STATUS, =
CONSERVATION
ISSUES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS
From: Robert Cameron, Protected Areas Branch, Nova Scotia Environment=20
e-mail: camerorp@gov.ns.ca, Claudia Hanel, Endangered Species Branch,
Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation, =
Ian
Goudie, LGL Limited environmental research associates, & Tom Neily, =
Mersey
Tobeatic Research Institute
_Erioderma pedicellatum_ (Hue) P.M. J=F8rg., boreal felt lichen, is an
epiphytic foliose lichen found in the temperate and boreal northern
hemisphere. It is a leafy lichen, light grey when dry to greyish green =
when
wet. The lichen has a covering of fine white hairs on the upper surface =
and
a mat of dense white hairs on the under surface. Mature thalli will =
have
small round reddish fruiting bodies on the upper surface. This lichen =
is
part of a group of lichens known as cyanolichens because the
photosynthesizing partner is a cyanobacterium. In the case of boreal =
felt
lichen the cyanobacterium is in the genus _Scytonema_. =20
Boreal felt lichen is a globally endangered species known from only a =
few
places in the world. Populations are threatened by air pollution and
commercial forestry and continue to decline. Recent finds in Alaska may =
be
promising for the future of the species. Boreal felt lichen is one of =
the
most sensitive species to human disturbances and thus acts as an early
warning of ecosystem impacts.
The world population of boreal felt lichen has been listed as critically
endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. =
The
Atlantic population, which includes Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, has =
been
listed as endangered under the Canadian federal Species at Risk Act. =
The
boreal population on the Island of Newfoundland has been listed as a =
Species
of Special Concern.
_Erioderma pedicellatum_ in Scandinavia is currently only known from two
locations in Norway (Holien 2006). The one thallus in Sweden, although
protected, disappeared after an adjacent forestry operation apparently
changed the local microclimate (Purvis 2000).=20
Newfoundland hosts the largest population of boreal felt lichen in the =
world
with numbers probably in the tens of thousands (Hanel pers. com.).
Unfortunately, recent population modeling by Goudie et al. (2010) =
indicates
the population is declining. The exact causes are unknown, but the =
authors
suspect that acid rain may be a contributing factor. They also suggest =
that
introduced moose, with an expanding high density population (1 to 2
moose/km2), have browsed young balsam fir, the main substrate of boreal =
felt
lichen, to the extent that (regeneration of) habitat is limited. =
Further,
old-growth balsam fir, the ideal habitat for boreal felt lichen, is the
target of commercial forestry operations.
These operations are occurring in areas of high boreal felt lichen
population. Silviculture objectives are to plant herbivore-resistant
species likely to be less suitable to boreal felt lichen. The adequacy =
of 20
m buffers left around individuals is now in question and the Province =
plans
to take a landscape management approach in the future (Keeping and Hanel
2006). Transplant experiments in the Vale Inco Long Harbour, Placentia =
Bay
project area suggest that boreal felt lichen populations maybe limited =
by
dispersal which underscores the importance of protecting stands where =
the
species currently occurs (Goudie pers. comm.).
The known population in Nova Scotia is 180 individuals and although new
sites=20
are being found by researchers, old sites are disappearing. One third of
thalli monitored since 2005 are dead or dying. At least two locations =
have
been lost due to adjacent forestry operations, although there may be =
others.
Other thalli have been lost due to grazing, possibly by introduced
gastropods (Cameron et al. 2009). Like other cyanolichens, boreal felt
lichen is extremely sensitive to air pollution and in North America are
predicted to decline in the next 12 years, large areas of Nova Scotia
continue to receive levels of acid deposition in excess of critical =
loads
(Environment Canada 2004).
_Erioderma pedicellatum_ is believed to be extirpated from New =
Brunswick.
Despite recent searches by local lichenologists, it hasn=92t been found =
in the
province since the early 20th century. Acid rain and fog and air =
pollution
have likely degraded the habitat to the point where it can not survive =
there
(New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources 2007).
In August, 2007, several thalli of boreal felt lichen where collected in
Denali National Park and Preserve and later in Denali State Park in =
Alaska
(Nelson et al. 2009). This was the first collection in western North
America and marks a significant range extension. The significance of =
this
find is yet to be understood. The possibility of a larger population in
western North America increases the hope for the survival of this =
species.
Boreal felt lichen is sensitive to anthropogenic impacts. The species
provides an early warning of human perturbations on the environment. The
fate of the global population of boreal felt lichen is uncertain. With =
only
two locations in Europe, survival there is uncertain. Air pollution and
commercial forestry continue to be threats in eastern Canada. Only =
increased
effort to reduce threats can ensure the survival of this species.
References
Cameron, R.P., T. Neily, S.R. Clayden and W.S.G. Maass. 2009. _COSEWIC =
Draft
Status Report on Vole Ears_ Erioderma mollissimum. Committee on =
the
Status of Endanagered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa.
Environment Canada. 2004. _Canadian Acid Deposition Science Assessment:
Summary of Key Results_. Environment Canada, Ottawa
Goudie, I.R., C. Scheidegger, C. Hanel, A. Munier, E. Conway. 2010.
_Population model for the globally rare boreal felt lichen =
(_Erioderma
pedicellatum_) in Newfoundland._ Endangered Species Research in =
prep.
Holien, H. 2006. Tr=F8derlav_ Erioderma pedicellatum_. Artsdatabankens
Faktaark nr. 3.
http://www2.artsdatabanken.no/faktaark/Faktaark3.pdf =20
Keeping, B. and C. Hanel. 2006. _A 5 year (2006-2011) management plan =
for
the boreal felt lichen (_Erioderma pedicellatum_) in Newfoundland
and
Labrador._ Wildlife Division, Department of Environment and
Conservation, Corner Brook.
http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/wildlife/wildatrisk/BOREAL.pdf =20
Nelson, P., J. Walton and C. Roland. 2009. _Erioderma pedicellatum_ =
(Hue)=20
P.M.Jorg., New to the United States and Western North America,
Discovered in Denali National Park and Preserve and Denali State
Park, Alaska. _Evansia_ 25: 19 =96 23.
New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources. 2007.=20
_Recovery Strategy for the Boreal Felt Lichen (_Erioderma
pedicellatum_) in New Brunswick._ Natural Resources. Fredericton.
http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/collection_2007/ec/En3-4-20-2007E.pdf =
Purvis, W. 2000. _Lichens._ Smithsonain Institution Press, Washington in =
association with the Natural History Museum, London.
SECOND EDITION OF THE MACROLICHENS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST=20
From: Irwin M. Brodo, Canadian Museum of Nature ibrodo@mus-nature.ca=20
McCune, Bruce & Linda Geiser. 2009.=20
_Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest_. Second Edition. Oregon
State
University Press, Corvallis, OR. 504 pp. ISBN no. 978-0-87071-565-5
[softcover] US$30.00=20
Ordering information:
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/press/m-n/macrolichens.htm =20
Distributed by the University of Arizona Press:
https://www.uapress.arizona.edu/scripts/secure/orderosu.pl =20
When Bruce McCune and Linda Geiser=92s book, _Macrolichens of the =
Pacific
Northwest_ was first published in 1997, it was warmly received and =
proved to
be invaluable to western botanists and ecologists dealing with lichens.
Designed especially as a field guide for forest ecologists and managers =
(and
co-published by the U.S.D.A. Forest service), it featured first rate =
colour
photographs by Sylvia and Steve Sharnoff and authoritative descriptions =
and
keys to all the species of macrolichens then known for Oregon and
Washington, as well as numerous species from surrounding regions. Not
surprisingly, it fostered a widespread interest in lichens as an =
integral
part of the Pacific Northwest flora.
A lot has happened in lichenology since 1997, and this has necessitated =
a
new look at the lichens of the Pacific Northwest (PNW). Fortunately, =
Oregon
State University Press invited the authors to prepare a second edition =
of
their popular book. In the new edition, the authors have not only taken
advantage of new scholarship in lichenology over the past decade with =
name
changes and revised descriptions, they have taken the opportunity to
illustrate many more species and add new photographs to previously
illustrated species. Many photographs in this edition are from sources =
other
than the Sharnoffs, most taken by Bruce McCune himself. The number of
illustrations was increased from 236 to 417. Most of these new pictures
illustrate details of previously treated species, and these close-up
photographs, complete with scale bars, are what make this edition so
special. Three sets of pictures stand out: a series showing the lower
surface of 18 species of _Peltigera_, a plate illustrating all types of
apothecia in the genus _Umbilicaria_, and, most spectacular, a series of
excellent colour photographs of longitudinal sections of _Usnea_ =
species, 21
in all. To me, they alone are worth the price of the new book. Alas, =
the
McCune pictures aren=92t as good as the Sharnoff pictures, but this =
won=92t
surprise anyone, including the photographer. There is a strange
yellow-brown tint in virtually all the pictures that is particularly
disturbing, but the essentials of the lichen details are intact and =
helpful.
Ironically, the inaccurate brownish tones in many of the Sharnoff =
pictures
of the first edition (e.g., _Leptochidium albociliatum_, _Leptogium
polycarpum_, _Umbilicaria deusta_) have been corrected in this edition =
to
show the true colour of the original photographs.
In the new edition, we find that _Cetraria_ is still used in a very =
broad
sense (following genetic results of Thell et al. 2002), but other =
segregate
genera are recognized in the new edition that were previously rejected,
e.g., _Fuscopannaria_ and _Allocetraria_. Newly segregated genera are =
also
included, e.g., _Xanthomendoza_, _Melanelixia_ and _Melanohalea_, and
_Neofuscelia_ is included within _Xanthoparmelia_, following recent =
genetic
findings. In all, the new edition introduces 117 new species treatments =
and
51 name changes. =20
Other changes in the new edition are worth noting. The authors have =
moved
the section on _Collecting and Identifying Lichens_ to the =
_Introduction_,
as well as a greatly expanded, somewhat technical section on _Lichens =
and
Air Quality_. The latter summarizes a lot of material, especially =
pertinent
for the PNW, in 27 informative pages using graphs, tables and maps and =
many
literature citations. Included is a lengthy table showing the =
sensitivity of
hundreds of species to sulphur dioxide and nitrogen pollution. =20
The Nomenclatural summary table at the end of the book in this edition =
is no
longer =93cluttered=94 with a column for acronyms, used for data =
collection and
based on the USDA Natural Resources Data Center. This perhaps reflects =
the
book=92s appeal to a broader audience than just forest workers. The =
English
names, still used only at the genus level, have been downgraded even =
further
by eliminating the bold-face type used in the first edition. =20
The basic question for any field guide is, =93Will it work?=94 =
Absolutely. The
authors have built on their previous success with new and improved =
coverage,
more helpful details and notes, and greatly expanded _Sources_ citing =
new
lichenological literature. The treatments of some genera such as
_Fuscopannaria_ and _Usnea_ will become the new standards for our =
knowledge
of PNW species. Although I could quibble with a few of the couplets and =
the
odd descriptive detail, the overall value of the book for amateur
naturalists through experienced lichenologists is unquestioned. I =
recommend
it highly.
Reference
Thell, A. , S. Stenroos, T. Feuerer, I. K=E4rnefelt, L. Myllys & J. =
Hyv=F6nen.
2002.=20
Phylogeny of cetrarioid lichens (Parmeliaceae) inferred from ITS and
b-tubulin sequences, morphology, anatomy and secondary chemistry.
_Mycological Progress_ 1: 335-354.
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