Lichen Physiological Traits and Growth Forms Affect Communities of Associated Invertebrates

We investigated how lichen traits such as nutrient content and growth form affect the community composition of invertebrates. Lichen traits explained 39% of the variation in abundance of invertebrate groups. Abundance and diversity was often positively correlated with lichen N and P concentrations. Foliose lichens tend to support more invertebrates than fruticose lichens. Our results reveal that differences between lichen species have a large impact on the invertebrate communities that live among lichen thalli. Given the large diversity of lichen traits and growth forms that occur in boreal forests, lichen–invertebrate communities may be an important contributor to overall community diversity. Springtail (Isotoma viridis) exploring foliose lichens on a tree trunk. Photo by Stef Bokhorst. This photograph illustrates the article “Lichen physiological traits and growth forms affect communities of associated invertebrates,” by Stef Bokhorst, Johan Asplund, Paul Kardol, and David Wardle, published in Ecology 96(9):2394–2407, September 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/14-1030.1