Diversity of Leptogium (Collemataceae, Ascomycota) in East African Montane Ecosystems.

ABSTRACT: Tropical mountains and especially their forests are hot spots of biodiversity threatened by human population pressure and climate change. The diversity of lichens in tropical Africa is especially poorly known. Here we use the mtSSU and nuITS molecular markers together with morphology and ecology to assess Leptogium (Peltigerales, Ascomycota) diversity in the tropical mountains of Taita Hills and Mt. Kasigau in Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The sampled habitats cover a wide range of ecosystems from savanna to alpine heath vegetation and from relatively natural forests to agricultural environments and plantation forests. We demonstrate that Leptogium diversity in Africa is much higher than previously known and provide preliminary data on over 70 putative species, including nine esta

SUBMITTER: Kaasalainen U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7913733 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature