Evaluating the Impacts of Environmental, Physiological and Functional Traits of Lichens on Their Interthalline Arthropod Assemblages from Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Romano A. 2022. Evaluating the Impacts of Environmental, Physiological and Functional Traits of Lichens on Their Interthalline Arthropod Assemblages from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. University of Colorado
ABSTRACT: Lichens and arthropods represent two undervalued ecosystem indicator groups with high diversity and abundance in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The variables influencing interactions between these cryptic taxa are not well understood. This study sought to examine environmental, physiological and functional traits of lichens as drivers of interthalline arthropod abundance and richness along elevational transects in a North American lichen biodiversity hotspot. We used quadratic regression and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests to analyze the impact of these traits on a total of 2303 arthropods collected from 629 lichens. We found that neither elevation nor lichen aspect impacted arthropod assemblages on lichens. Rather, the presence or absence of carbon-based secondary compounds (CBSCs) explained some of the variation in interthalline arthropod abundance and richness. This study represents one of the first of its kind to inventory lichen-dwelling arthropod diversity in the most lichenologically diverse area of North America.
- Type
- Academic
- Authors
- Romano, Angelia
- Date of Issue
- 2022
- Publisher
- University of Colorado
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- GRSM-02492, Insecta, lichens, The Purchase, thesis