Abstract
The high mountainous beech (Fagus orientalis) forests of Dagestan which are a refugium of the species with oceanic/suboceanic distribution in the arid conditions of the East Caucasus have been studied for the first time, and 140 species of lichens, lichenicolous and non-lichenized fungi growing on beech have been revealed. Among them 3 species (Leptogium burnetiae, Lobaria pulmonaria, and Ricasolia amplissima) are endangered lichens included in the red data book of Russia. Seven species (Abrothallus nephromatis, A. peyritschii, Biatora beckhausii, Biatoropsis usnearum, Bryoria vrangiana, Dactylospora lobariella, and Usnea fragilescens) and 2 genera (Biatoropsis and Ramonia) are reported for the first time for the East Caucasus; 10 species (Collema nigrescens, C. subnigrescens, Gyalecta fagicola, G. herculina, Lecanora intumescens, Leptogium burnetiae, L. cyanescens, Melanohalea elegantula, Nephroma helveticum, and Ramonia luteola) and the genus Biatora are new for Dagestan. The record of Ramonia luteola is the second for Russia and the Caucasus. Most of the lichens are with trebouxioid photobiont, cyanolichens are represented by 20 species, lichens with trentepohlioid photobiont — by 14 species. Reproductive strategy by spores is prevailing. Vegetative diaspores are formed by 51 species of which 46 are fruticose and foliose. The species from Lobarion pulmonariae community are revealed. The presence of rare and endangered species shows a high value of studied community for nature protection.
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