Allegheny Plateau Research Articles

Floristic Composition and Soils of Three Grassy Forest Openings on the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, Strouds Run State Park, Ohio, U.S.A.

Floristic Composition and Soils of Three Grassy Forest Openings on the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, Strouds Run State Park, Ohio, U.S.A.

Variation in Fatty Acids Concentration in Grasses, Legumes, and Forbs in the Allegheny Plateau

This study was conducted to determine the fatty acid (FA) content in pasture grasses, legumes, and non-leguminous forbs in northeast West Virginia. Grass, legume, and forb plant material were collected from rotationally stocked pastures and analyzed for crude protein (CP), linoleic acid (C18:2), α-linolenic acid (C18:3), and total FA content. Species within botanical classes varied in FA content. Forbs had the highest linoleic acid (C18:2) content followed by legume and grass species. Grasses and forbs had the highest α-linolenic acid (C18:3) content. Forbs had the highest total FA content. These field data were combined with FA data from the research literature to evaluate the correlation of CP concentration with fatty acid concentration. Likewise, after accounting for CP, the summer months caused a decrease while forbs caused an increase in α-linolenic acid (C18:3) content. Vegetative growth and leafiness are the major determinants of FA content in pasture forage. Grazing management to benefit vegetative growth and the presence of desirable forbs in tune with seasonal changes are valuable tools to increase desirable FA profiles in milk and meat products that may be of benefit to human health.

The long‐term impacts of deer herbivory in determining temperate forest stand and canopy structural complexity

Abstract Ungulates place immense consumptive pressure on forest vegetation globally, leaving legacies of reduced biodiversity and simplified vegetative structure. However, what remains unresolved is whether browse‐induced changes occurring early in succession ultimately manifest themselves in the developed forest canopy. Understanding the development and persistence of these legacies is critical as canopy structure is an important determinant of forest ecosystem functions such as carbon sequestration and wildlife habitat. We measured how white‐tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus browse during stand initiation affected canopy structure, tree species richness, diversity, stem density, and basal area on Pennsylvania's Allegheny Plateau using a portable canopy LiDAR system. We capitalized on an historic deer enclosure experiment where forests were subjected to four deer densities (4, 8, 15, and 25 deer/km2) for 10 years following stand initiation. Deer browsing impacts on the forest canopy are apparent nearly four decades since stand initiation. The highest deer density treatment experienced a significant reduction in tree species diversity, density, and basal area with stands becoming dominated by black cherry Prunus serotina. Reductions in overstorey diversity and tree density resulted in a more open canopy with low leaf area and high horizontal leaf variability. Canopies were tallest at the lowest and highest deer densities. Synthesis and applications. Using a portable canopy LiDAR system and a former deer enclosure experiment, we show that high deer browsing pressure during stand initiation can have a decades‐long impact on stand and canopy structure. High deer densities led to stands with lower species diversity and tree density, which resulted in canopies that were taller and less dense. As remote sensing of the canopy becomes more prevalent, considering the legacy of ungulate herbivory on canopy structure may inform both land management and our understanding of ecological function, such as forest carbon sequestration, maintenance of diverse understory communities, and creation of wildlife habitat

Thirty-year effects of liming on soil and foliage chemistry and growth of northern hardwoods in Pennsylvania, USA

The longevity of a single 22.4 Mg·ha−1 application of dolomitic limestone at four northern hardwood stands was evaluated over 30 years (1986–2016) to determine whether changes in soils, foliage, and tree growth were sustained on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau in northern Pennsylvania, USA. In limed plots, soils, sampled to 45–55 cm depth, and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) foliage had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) greater concentrations of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) through 2016 compared with samples from unlimed plots. Ca and Mg capitals (g·m−2) in the Oi through A horizons combined were greater on limed plots than unlimed plots, largely due to increases in the thickness and nutrient concentration in the A horizon. Over 30 years, sugar maple basal area increment (cm2·year−1 BAINC) was greater in limed plots (30.6 cm2·year−1 vs unlimed 13.3), American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) BAINC was unaffected by lime application, and black cherry BAINC was reduced in limed plots compared with unlimed plots. The sustained effect of this one-time lime treatment shows the strong role of efficient nutrient cycling in forests and suggests that the benefits over a substantial portion of a stand rotation may increase the feasibility of operational liming.

Aspects of rare earth element enrichment in Allegheny Plateau coals, Pennsylvania, USA

The Allegheny Plateau in western Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and northern West Virginia has relatively flat-lying strata with southwest-northeast-trending anticlines cored by splay faults originating from the thrust faults and southeast-northwest-trending lineaments. The lineaments define both the structural relief of the anticlines and the coal rank. Coal rank in the Pennsylvanian Allegheny Group coals is medium volatile bituminous in the region of less-prominent structural relief and low volatile bituminous in the region with more pronounced anticlines.Zinc and Cl exhibit high values in coals in the vicinity of the lineaments. Although coal rank was not a parameter in the Principal components analysis, the highest rank coals clustered together in a quadrant defined, in part, by the Zn concentration. Zinc was selected as a parameter due to its possible link with hydrothermal mineralization and Zr and TiO2/Al2O3 were selected based on their presumed association with detrital mineral influences. The highest rare earths + Y values in benches of the Lower Kittanning coal were found at sites close to the lineaments.Negative or negligible Ce anomalies (δCe) and strongly positive Gd anomalies (δGd) suggest marine or hydrothermal influences and negative Eu anomalies (δEu) along with high TiO2/Al2O3 values suggest a terrestrial input. The plots of δCe vs. δGd and δCe vs. δEu show that the low volatile bituminous coals are segregated from the other coals, suggesting that the factors that influenced coal rank also influenced the distribution of the rare earth elements.

Correction to: Macroinvertebrates at the source: flow duration and seasonality drive biodiversity and trait composition in rheocrene springs of the Western Allegheny Plateau, USA

Correction to: Macroinvertebrates at the source: flow duration and seasonality drive biodiversity and trait composition in rheocrene springs of the Western Allegheny Plateau, USA

Macroinvertebrates at the source: flow duration and seasonality drive biodiversity and trait composition in rheocrene springs of the Western Allegheny Plateau, USA.

Documenting flow regimes and the ecology of source headwater streams has gained considerable attention for scientific and regulatory purposes. These streams do not appear on standard maps, and local physiographic and climatologic conditions can control their origins. We investigated macroinvertebrate assemblages seasonally and in relation to flow duration, catchment and habitat variables within 14 source headwaters (< 1 ha) in the Western Allegheny Plateau over a 19-month period. We classified 6 perennial (P) and 8 intermittent (I) streams directly with continuous flow data loggers. Several biological and trait-based metrics could distinguish flow class, but few instream physical measures could. Macroinvertebrate metrics and assemblage dispersion varied seasonally and responded significantly along a gradient of total flow duration. Separate indicator species analyses generated 22 genera and 15 families with significant affinities to P streams. Richness of P-indicator taxa was also strongly correlated with flow duration gradients, and we estimated a total flow duration changepoint at 77% (3 indicator families) followed by a sharp increase in richness. Two rapid field-based flow duration methods (NC Stream Identification index and OH Headwater Habitat Evaluation index) could distinguish upstream ephemeral reaches from P and I reaches, but misclassified P as I more frequently. Our findings highlight that diverse coldwater macroinvertebrate assemblages inhabited extremely small, low-discharge springs in the region, and responded with flow duration. These source headwater habitats are susceptible to human disturbance and should be monitored as is routinely done in larger lotic systems.

Effect of watershed disturbance and river-tributary confluences on watershed sedimentation dynamics in the Western Allegheny Plateau

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have increased in the Ohio River Basin over the past decade. Fine sediment dynamics are now recognized to play an important role in the proliferation and toxicity of HABs. As a result, the fate of sediment at confluences of tributaries and regulated river systems may be important zones for sediment retention and burial. The objective of this study was to improve understanding of watershed sediment loading dynamics and backwater inundation impacts on sedimentation within confluence watersheds. The study site selected for this work was the Fourpole Creek watershed in the Western Allegheny Plateau ecoregion of Appalachia, which is a mixed-use watershed with predominantly forested and urban landcover with a backwater floodplain wetland at the confluence with the Ohio River. Approximately 16 months of high-frequency (15-minute) turbidity data was used as a surrogate for total suspended solids at upstream and downstream nodes of the backwater confluence feature. Continuous sediment yield estimates suggested an annual sediment yield of 82 t/km2 and was found to be higher than sediment yields reported elsewhere in Appalachian watersheds without mining disturbances. A modified sediment rating curve using both seasonal and annual regression approaches were found to underpredict sediment yield by 29% and 80%, respectively. A hysteresis-based source unmixing method and hysteresis index were used to quantify sediment source and flow pathways during events and suggested high variability in sediment source contributions both seasonally and within-seasons, suggesting three likely sediment sources in the watershed including in-channel/gully erosion, resuspension of recently deposited sediment in the fluvial network, and erosion of subsurface macropores from forested uplands. Upstream-downstream monitoring of the confluence floodplain suggested 34% of the annual sediment inputs were retained during the continuously monitored 2019 calendar year. Our results suggest that confluence floodplains play an important role in intercepting and storing sediment inputs. Efforts to limit downstream sediment loads should ensure the function of confluence floodplains is maintained or enhanced when considering watershed management strategies in these landscapes.

Assessing the Impacts of Chloride and Sulfate Ions on Macroinvertebrate Communities in Ohio Streams

Salinization of freshwaters is a growing concern, especially in urban catchments. Existing aquatic life criteria for chloride (230 mg/L; a US standard) or total dissolved solids (1500 mg/L; specific to Ohio) do not protect sensitive species, and standards for sulfate have yet to be promulgated on the national level. To help identify water quality thresholds for protection and restoration, species sensitivity distributions were compiled for chloride and sulfate based on field observations of macroinvertebrate communities co-located with water quality samples obtained from rivers and streams throughout Ohio. Additionally, attainment of biological benchmarks for macroinvertebrate communities found in headwater streams were modeled against chloride and sulfate using Bayesian logistic regression. The hazard concentration based on statewide data for chloride was 52 mg/L. The hazard concentration for sulfate based on data from the Western Allegheny Plateau ecoregion was 152 mg/L. The median effect levels from logistic regression for chloride and sulfate varied by ecoregion. Mayfly taxa were disproportionately represented in taxa comprising the lower 5th percentile of the species sensitivity distributions for chloride. However, logistic regression models of individual taxa response (as presence/absence) revealed that some taxa considered sensitive to pollution in general were highly tolerant of chloride. For 166 taxa showing directional response to chloride, 91 decreased and 75 increased. For the 97 individual taxa showing directional responses to sulfate, 81 decreased. Of the 16 taxa showing an increase, 6 are considered tolerant of pollution, 9 facultative and 1 moderately intolerant, the latter being taxa in the dipteran family Tipulidae. The hazard concentrations are useful as protective thresholds for existing high-quality waters. The logistic regression model of attainment can be used to inform management goals conditional on site-specific information.

Forest Soil Cation Dynamics and Increases in Carbon on the Allegheny Plateau, PA, USA Following a Period of Strongly Declining Acid Deposition

Reductions in exchangeable calcium and magnesium and increase in exchangeable aluminum concentrations have been shown in soils impacted by acid deposition, including at four sites on the Allegheny Plateau, PA, USA, sampled in 1967 and 1997 during a period of peak deposition. We repeated sampling at these sites in 2017 to evaluate changes in soils during the more recent period when there has been a strong decline in acid deposition. The uppermost horizons, including the Oa and A horizons where humified organic matter transitions to mineral soil, were thicker, had higher concentrations of organic carbon and exchangeable calcium and magnesium, and lower concentrations of exchangeable aluminum in 2017 compared to 1997, approximating values measured in 1967. Below the Oa/A horizons, 2017 soil chemistry was more similar to the 1997 results, with some reduction of Ca in the recent measurements. These results suggest recovery of base cation–aluminum balance in surface horizons and may indicate a reduction of aluminum mobilization and increased efficiency of vegetation recycling of nutrients with decreased acid anion concentrations. These changes are consistent with a partial recovery from acid deposition. However, the increase in humified soil organic matter may also be affected by coincident increases in temperature and soil moisture.

The Forest of Unintended Consequences: Anthropogenic Actions Trigger the Rise and Fall of Black Cherry

AbstractThe twentieth century confluence of clear-cutting, deer overabundance, and rising nitrogen deposition favored dominance by the shade-intolerant, unpalatable, and nitrogen-demanding black cherry (Prunus serotina) throughout the Allegheny Plateau of the eastern United States. The abundance of this species conferred unique and valuable ecological and economic benefits that shaped regional biodiversity and societies. Sustaining these values is increasingly difficult because black cherry, seemingly inexplicably, has experienced diminished establishment, growth, and survival in the twenty-first century. In the present article, we chronicle the change and assess underlying drivers through a literature review and new analyses. We found negative plant–soil microbial feedback loops and lowered nitrogen deposition are biologically, temporally, and geographically consistent with observed declines. The evidence suggests that black cherry dynamics are the unintended consequence of actions and policies ostensibly unconnected to forests. We suggest that these shifts are a bellwether of impending changes to forests, economies, and ownership patterns regionally and beyond.

Effects of elevated pH and phosphorus fertilizer on soil C, N and P enzyme stoichiometry in an acidic mixed mesophytic deciduous forest

Long-term additions of lime and/or phosphate fertilizer caused an indirect and/or direct increase in the availability of P in mixed mesophytic deciduous forest soil on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau, southeast Ohio, USA. As expected, the activities of extracellular phosphatases declined across all treatments (by 23–65%), in both organic and mineral soil horizons. In contrast, there were few effects of P availability on either C or N acquiring extracellular enzyme activities. However, enzyme vector analysis showed the relative activity of phosphatases decreased with respect to N-acquiring enzymes (vector angles fell 4–30%) and the relative activity of C acquisition increased (vector lengths rose 9–51%) relative to the activities of both N and P acquiring enzymes. Thus, the overall ecoenzymatic stoichiometry of extracellular enzymes was altered by P availability. Also, the relative contribution of phosphodiesterase declined relative to phosphomonoesterase by an average of 16 ± 16% as overall phosphatase activity declined, suggesting a reduction in the relative contribution of the less efficient enzyme as P demand decreased. Finally, contrary to expectations, the relative contribution of leucine aminopeptidase to total N acquiring enzyme activity did not increase with pH, but showed a bimodal relationship to soil NH4+ concentration. In summary, phosphatase activity declined with increased P availability but with little response in C or N acquiring activity suggesting emerging co-limitations by C and/or N in this ecosystem.

Vegetation Changes Associated with the Younger Dryas from the Sediments of Silver Lake, Summit County, Ohio, USA

As the climate was warming during the last deglaciation, a millennium-long return to near-glacial conditions—called the Younger Dryas (YD) stadial—occurred about 12.9 to 11.7 ka ago. Prior studies have characterized the vegetation and climatic impacts of the YD stadial in the US upper Midwest from a network of fossil pollen records. The goal of this study was to locate the pronounced rise in organic matter and Pinus (pine) pollen—associated with the latter part of the YD event—in a sediment core from Silver Lake, a kettle lake in Summit County, Ohio. Based upon radiocarbon dating of the Silver Lake sediment core, an increase in sediment organic matter at 1,070 cm (35.1 ft) core depth dates to 12,130 calibrated years (cal yr) BP within the latter part of the YD stadial. A pollen study spanning the change in organic matter displays a gradual decline in Picea (spruce) pollen as well as a pronounced increase in Pinus pollen, similar to published records of the latter part of the YD event. Thus, the Silver Lake pollen record adds a new site to the network of fossil pollen sites, and further refines the vegetation changes within the Allegheny Plateau of Ohio that occurred during the latter part of the YD event. Furthermore, identifying the pronounced rise in Pinus pollen allows for biostratigraphic correlation between the Silver Lake record and another local dated pollen record. This biocorrelation adds further support to the Silver Lake radiometric age model.

Light Interception and the Growth of Pastures under Ideal and Stressful Growing Conditions on the Allegheny Plateau.

Pasture-based livestock production is impacted by management and weather. In pastures, there is conflict between leaf retention for plant growth and leaf harvest for animal nutrition. Defoliated pastures with low light interception (LI) may have a low forage growth rate (FGR), while excessive growth shades leaves, reducing FGR and resulting in an S-shaped regrowth curve. To optimize production, it is best to keep FGR linear. Three studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of management and weather on FGR. Replicated pastures were used to measure FGR when grazed from 25 to 10 cm and allowed to regrow. The impact of alternative defoliation timings and intensities on FGR were studied using clipped treatments at three recovery intervals and two stubble heights. Variability in FGR was studied using a field validated plant growth model. Of the 24 growth periods studied, two displayed exponential, 12 linear and 10 linear-plateau growth. There was no effect of FM on growth curve form. In May and June, LI increased with canopy height, up to 0.93. Stubble height and days of growth impacted FGR with an interaction. There was no treatment impact on root density. Weather caused variation in FGR. A low FGR risk occurs at high elevations; greater risk occurs east of the plateau.

Soil nitrification increases with elevated phosphorus or soil pH in an acidic mixed mesophytic deciduous forest

The role of phosphorus (P) mediating nitrogen (N) transformation processes is poorly understood which raises an important question: Does P, like soil pH, have a strong control in altering the cycling of soil N? From 2010 to 2018, pH and/or P availability was elevated with lime and P fertilizer in three mixed mesophytic deciduous forests on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau, southeast Ohio, USA. We hypothesized that in addition to soil pH, P addition can influence the cycling of soil N because both can change N dynamics, which can alter nitrification rates. Increasing soil pH increased nitrification and nitrate pools by 30 and 4 times, respectively during the growing season. Furthermore, elevating P also stimulated nitrification and increased soil nitrate pools by 10 and 2 times, respectively. However, the influence of raising soil pH on nitrification was diminished when combined with P addition. Results suggest that N biogeochemical processes are sensitive to P availability, but the mechanistic nature of this relationship appears complex with unclear feedback systems regulating nitrification rates from these deciduous forests.

Tree growth response to shifting soil nutrient economy depends on mycorrhizal associations

The mycorrhizal-associated nutrient economy hypothesis proposes a strong connection between plant and fungal traits and the dominant form of soil nutrients. If true, then shifting from an organic to an inorganic nutrient economy should benefit arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) trees because they are more suited to acquiring inorganic forms of nutrients and have limited decomposing capabilities when compared with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) trees. An inorganic nutrient economy was experimentally promoted by applying inorganic phosphorus (P) fertiliser and/or elevating soil pH with lime in three Allegheny Plateau mixed-mesophytic forests. Trees were measured over seven growing seasons to determine how growth responded to the treatments based on mycorrhizal association. AM-associated trees showed increased growth in response to increased inorganic nutrients, but ECM tree growth was suppressed when compared with the control. We also observed that understory and mid-story trees responded to the treatments, but large overstory trees showed no significant growth response. Results support the hypothesis that AM trees respond positively to an inorganic nutrient economy. While raising pH in acidic soils can be detrimental to ECM tree growth, the exact mechanism for this response is unclear.

Novel insights into how the mean and heterogeneity of abiotic conditions together shape forb species richness patterns in the Allegheny plateau ecoregion.

While plant community theory tends to emphasize the importance of abiotic heterogeneity along niche axes, much empirical work seeks to characterize the influence of the absolute magnitude of key abiotic variables on diversity. Both magnitude (as reflected, e.g., by a mean) and heterogeneity (variance) in abiotic conditions likely contribute to biodiversity patterns in plant communities, but given the large number of putative abiotic drivers and the fact that each may vary at different spatiotemporal scales, the challenge of linking observed biotic patterns with the underlying environment remains acute. Using monitoring data from a natural resource agency, we compared how well statistical models of the mean, heterogeneity, and both the mean and heterogeneity combined of 17 abiotic factor variables explained patterns of forb species richness in Northeast Ohio, USA. We performed our analyses at two spatial scales, repeated in spring and summer across four forest types. Although all models explained a great deal of the variance in species richness, models including both the mean and heterogeneity of different abiotic factors together outperformed models including either the mean or the heterogeneity of abiotic factors alone. Variability in forb species richness was mostly due to changes in mean calcium levels regardless of forest type. After accounting for forest type, we were able to attribute variation in forb species richness to changes in the heterogeneity of different abiotic factors as well. Our results suggest that multiple mechanisms act simultaneously according to different aspects of the abiotic environment to structure forb communities, and this underscores the importance of considering both the magnitude of and heterogeneity in multiple abiotic factors when looking for links between the abiotic environment and plant community patterns. Finally, we identify novel patterns across spatial scales, forest types, and seasons that can guide future research in this vein.OPEN RESEARCH BADGES This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally‐shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.kp3cb17.

Dendroecological Analysis of Xeric, Upland, Quercus-Dominated Old-Growth Forest within the Ridge and Valley Province of Maryland, USA

Mesophytic species invasion and the loss of oaks from previously oak-dominated forest communities are two well-documented changes currently affecting the deciduous forests of the Appalachian Mountains. Several previous assessments of these changes prescribe active management to maintain oak. Currently, historically white oak (Quercus alba) dominated mesic stands documented in both the Allegheny Plateau and Ridge and Valley regions show increasing dominance of mesophytic species such as red maple (Acer rubrum) and black birch (Betula lenta). We describe a unique near-xeric, 72-ha tract of old-growth forest within the Ridge and Valley Region. This upland oak-pine, formerly oak-chestnut community, has maintained oak dominance without silvicultural management, despite being greatly impacted from the loss of American chestnut (Castanea dentata), fire suppression, high deer densities, and European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) defoliation. A dendroecological analysis of these 200-year-old stands shows persistence of oak through centuries of documented disturbances. These unmanaged old-growth stands have resisted mesophytic species invasion and therefore may provide insight into future compositional patterns and changes of similar upland and ridgeline forests within the Ridge and Valley. The combination of low site quality of ridgelines and ecological disturbances such as defoliation events, which may act as a moderate basal area reduction, allows oaks to persist and maintain dominance without silvicultural intervention. However, fire is recommended for the maintenance of co-dominant fire-dependent species such as Table Mountain pine (Pinus pungens) and herbaceous diversity along these ridge forests.

An ecological assessment of six major streams in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle

The Northern Panhandle is a culturally distinct, historically foundational region of West Virginia. Lying centrally within the Allegheny Plateau, its terrain is characterized by razorback ridges and steep, winding valleys, producing a dendritic stream pattern that drains westward into the Ohio River. This high-density stream network is nested within the urban centers of the Upper Ohio Valley; coupled with the region’s intensive coal, oil and gas resource extraction, surface waters in the Northern Panhandle are at an elevated risk of degradation. A paucity of biological water quality assessment has been conducted for streams in the Northern Panhandle, leaving our understanding of current impairments poorly understood, and our ability to evaluate restoration opportunities uncertain. We propose a comprehensive ecological assessment of six major streams in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. Tomlinson Run and Kings Creek each comprise HUC-12 watersheds, have less-developed catchments, and are more highly recreated. Cross Creek, Buffalo Creek, Wheeling Creek and Fish Creek each comprise HUC-10 watersheds, and have varying levels of development within their catchments. The effects of land use on watersheds occur across multiple scales (physical, chemical and biological), so the primary drivers of change are often difficult to disentangle. We will analyze water chemistry variables and multiple parameters of macroinvertebrate community data (diversity, biomass and functional feeding groups) to parse out these drivers. Our goals are to determine the ecological health of these streams and better understand the effects of land use on stream ecosystems in the Northern Panhandle.

Long-term lichen trends in a rust belt region

Abstract Deindustrialization and national air pollution standards greatly reduced air pollution in the USA since the mid-20th century, particularly in the ‘rust belt’ industrial cities of the Great Lakes and Northeastern regions. Still, sprawling urbanization, vehicular traffic and coal-fired power plants may maintain regional heat islands and NOx and SO2 pollution. Lichens are one of the first, and longest used, bioindicators of urban heat island effects and atmospheric pollution, but there are few long-term studies of lichen bioindications. We examined herbaria records for lichens collected between 1869 and 2016 in the Western New York (WNY) region (USA). We hypothesized a long-term trend of increasing pollution-sensitive lichens in the region as well as increased desiccation-tolerant species from urban heat island effects. We also evaluated local (urban and tree land use cover) and regional (ecological zones) influences on pollution-sensitive and desiccation-tolerant lichens. We found that the WNY lichen communities appear to be shaped by urbanization with desiccation- and pollution-tolerant species dominating areas adjacent to the urbanized/industrialized core, and direct local effects of the urban heat island and vehicle traffic within the urban core. These results suggest that despite deindustrialization and tighter air quality standards, an industrial imprint remains on the lichen communities of WNY. However, despite urban filtering toward desiccation- and pollution-tolerant lichen species, the urban landscape contributed unique lichen species to the region, increasing WNY’s overall lichen biodiversity as much as the relatively pristine Allegheny Plateau. Hence, the urbanized areas of WNY contribute unique species to the regional lichen flora.