Boreal Flora Research Articles

Relationships Between Plant Assemblages and Water Flow Across a Boreal Forest Landscape: A Comparison of Liverworts, Mosses, and Vascular Plants

The distribution of water across landscapes affects the diversity and composition of ecological communities, as demonstrated by studies on variation in vascular plant communities along river networks and in relation to groundwater. However, non-vascular plants have been neglected in this regard. Bryophytes are dominant components of boreal flora, performing many ecosystem functions and affecting ecosystem processes, but how their diversity and species composition vary across catchments is poorly known. We asked how terrestrial assemblages of mosses and liverworts respond to variation in (i) catchment size, going from upland-forest to riparian settings along increasingly large streams and (ii) groundwater discharge conditions. We compared the patterns found for liverworts and mosses to vascular plants in the same set of study plots. Species richness of vascular plants and mosses increased with catchment size, whereas liverworts peaked along streams of intermediate size. All three taxonomic groups responded to groundwater discharge in riparian zones by maintaining high species richness further from the stream channel. Groundwater discharge thus provided riparian-like habitat further away from the streams and also in upland-forest sites compared to the non-discharge counterparts. In addition, soil chemistry (C:N ratio, pH) and light availability were important predictors of vascular plant species richness. Mosses and liverworts responded to the availability of specific substrates (stones and topographic hollows), but were also affected by soil C:N. Overall, assemblages of mosses and vascular plants exhibited many similarities in how they responded to hydrological gradients, whereas the patterns of liverworts differed from the other two groups.

Синтаксономическое разнообразие растительности устьевой области Днепра. VI. Классы Salicetea purpureae, Alnetea glutinosae

The work presents a sequel of publication series on vegetation of the Dnieper River mouth region. The characteristic of syntaxonomical diversity of forest and shrub vegetation of the Dnieper River mouth area belonging to the Salicetea purpureae and Alnetea glutinosae classes are presented. There have been picked out 12 associations and 1 community attributed to 3 orders and 4 alliances. Salicetea purpureae class in the Dnieper River mouth is represented by communities formed under long time inundation conditions, along the sides of islands, arms of the main river-bed, lakes, and also along the sides of secondary arms with salty marsh or soddy sandy soils. These communities are more typical for river mouth habitats. The class includes the Salicetum albae, Saliceto-Populetum, Populetum nigro-albae, Fraxino-Populetum, Populetum marylandicae, Elaeagnetum angustifoliae, Amorpha fruticosa com., Salicetum triandrae aassociations. Mass expansion of com. Amorpha fruticosa was recorded in the Dnieper River Delta. Due to the high coenotic activities of this species the community spreads over the flood territories. To prevent Amorpha fruticosa invasions there have been induction of a long time and powerful spring water discharge from the reservoirs of the Dnieper’s cascade. Alnetea glutinosae class includes Salicetum cinereae, Thelypteridi-Salicetum cinereae, Urtico dioicae–Alnetum glutinosae, Carici acutiformis–Alnetum, Carici elatae–Alnetum glutinosae associations. The plant communities occur in the nature complexes of the river mouth at the offshore parts of islands under a long time inundation. Syntaxonomical analysis of phytocoenotic tables confirms the integration of Alnetea glutinosae and Franguletea classes as long as these communities occupy similar habitats (mire ecotopes with peaty-mire and mire soils) and they have a number of common diagnostic species. The coenotaxonomical and coenotical particularities of forest and shrub vegetation communities were revealed. In comparison with similar plant communities of the northern regions they do not take a big part in specific composition of boreal flora, but the role of species of the ancient Mediterranean origin is more remarkable. Considerable part of alnetal florocoenotic complex species is absent (Kuzmichev, 1992) or so-called alder forest historical suite (Zozulin, 1973), in particular, genus Sphagnum species. Other representatives of mire flora that are typical for mezotrophic and eutrophic mires of the forest zone are missing also. The forest stand structure is characterized by slight or absent understory, and in grass layer there are typical steppe and salt habitat species. As a result of significant human impact for the last ten years an expansion of mesophytes and xeromesophytes in the grass layer as well as adventitious and ruderal plant species was noticed. A change of coenoses of flood-forest vegetation under recreation by the communities of forest-park type takes place, and in depressions they are replaced by mire or salt meadows (Chinkina, 2003). It is necessary to underline the needs of ecology-sozological monitoring of their conditions and conservation of coenoses as well as the rare species population.

Origin and plant species diversity of high-altitude tundra summits across the boreal forest zone in eastern Canada

Many high-altitude summits across the boreal forest zone of Quebec are colonized by tundra vegetation. In this study, the origin and plant composition of these remote, isolated tundra summits have been documented to link their nature and floristic diversity to several potential causal factors. Analysis of spruce macrocharcoal pieces distributed at the soil surface indicates that wildfire is the chief factor behind the creation of the tundra summits across the boreal forest zone. All of the summits were deforested by fire during 2 main periods of the Holocene, around 100–500 cal y BP and 1150–1600 cal y BP. However, fire activity seems to have little influence on vegetation composition and diversity of post-fire tundra summits; latitudinal position and surface area are the main driving factors influencing floristic diversity. Given the remoteness of the sources of the arctic-alpine flora and young age of tundra summits associated with recent deforestation, only a small number of arctic-alpine species are colonizing the sites. Because of the regional dominance of boreal flora composed of common and widespread species adapted to nutrient-poor soils, it is probable that arctic—alpine species located on the tundra summits will go extinct in a warmer world promoting forest recovery.

Elucidating Marine Biogeography with Macrophytes: Quantitative Analysis of the North Atlantic Supports the Thermogeographic Model and Demonstrates a Distinct Subarctic Region in the Northwestern Atlantic

Quantitative analysis of North Atlantic macrophyte (seaweed) abundance was used to test the thermogeographic model (TM) of marine biogeography. The TM uses coastal area and seawater temperature over Pleistocene time to reveal long-term climate/ area clusters that predict biogeographic regions. An earlier study with the TM predicted 20 of 24 classical biogeographic regions; the 4 omitted regions were either weak, disputed, or structurally (sandy/silty regions) inapplicable to the TM. The TM predicted a new western North Atlantic Subarctic Region, centered on the Strait of Belle Isle and lying between Newfoundland and Labrador. In contrast, Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine were found to be a Boreal/Subarctic transition zone. The predictions of the TM were earlier supported with coralline algal abundances, and here are supported by a test with macrophyte assemblages.Seaweed assemblages were studied at 51 primary SCUBA stations with 4–7 standard depth zones at each station from southern Labrador to Cape Elizabeth, ME. Meter-square quadrats were taken at each station, followed by at-sea sorting, identification, and weighing of biomass by species. A permanent record of these studies is provided by archived underwater photography and voucher herbarium samples, including tissue in silica gel to support future DNA analyses. Comparisons of European seaweed assemblages were accomplished by re-analyzing semi-quantitative data available in the literature.We demonstrate with the biomass data that a 3000-km stretch of coast (i.e., northern Gulf of St. Lawrence, northeastern Newfoundland, and southern Labrador) that is centered on the Strait of Belle Isle has a unique assemblage of seaweeds. In its location and marine climate, this coast closely matches the Subarctic Region predicted by the TM. Based on graphic demonstration, this Subarctic Region is radically different from that of Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, and its dominant species derive from the North Pacific Ocean. Several different statistical approaches applied to the macrophyte data demonstrate the strength of these findings, while also finding that a subset of Subarctic species persists in deeper water to the south in the transition zone (i.e., southwestern Nova Scotia, Gulf of Maine). Only a very small proportion of the seaweed flora of the Subarctic Region is Arctic in origin (<4%). Earlier geographic analyses of biodiversity did not discover the Subarctic Region because rare species hide the strength of assemblages based on abundance.Many of the dominant seaweeds in the transitional region of the Gulf of Maine and Nova Scotia occur widely in Europe, and are Boreal in origin. Such Boreal species form 47–80% of the macrophyte biomass at depths shallower than 5 m in the northwestern Atlantic transition zone southwest of the Subarctic Region. In deeper water (>5 m), however, European Boreal species are only 22–25% of the macrophyte biomass. Although many of the dominant, shallow sublittoral species of the European Boreal flora have made the North Atlantic passage, only about 10% (by biomass) of mid-depth species (2.5–5 m) have crossed and even fewer of the deeper European species are found in the northwestern Atlantic. A few European “Boreal” seaweeds reach further north into the Subarctic Region, but only at low levels of biomass and primarily at mid-depths (2.5–5 m). The Subarctic is inhospitable for establishment of such species in shallow water because of low winter temperatures and sea ice, and in deeper water by low summer temperatures (<5 °C).Few ecologists have had the opportunity to work in the Subarctic Region; instead, most of the recent descriptive and experimental studies of northwestern Atlantic ecosystems are based on studies in the smaller transition zone in the Gulf of Maine and southwestern Nova Scotia. Consequently, we provide detailed photographic, tabular, and graphic descriptions of the seaweed assemblages within the Subarctic and their interactions with

Hepaticae of the Kuril Islands (Northwestern Pacific): A Transoceanic Route from Circumboreal to East Asian flora

The Kuril Island Chain, which extends 1200 km in a northeast direction from Hokkaido (Japan) towards the shores of the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russian Federation), unites the boreal flora of the southern Kamchatka with the temperate flora enriched with subtropical elements from the lower elevation belts of Hokkaido. The gradual shift in the liverwort flora from the north to the south is analysed and described. It is shown that the border between East Asian and Circumboreal floristic regions (based on an analysis of liverworts) should run either along the Izmena Straight between Hokkaido and Kunashir Islands, or along the Ekaterina Straight between Kunashir and Iturup Islands, the former being a better-justified position.

Palaeoenvironmental and palaeobiologic changes across the Barremian/Aptian boundary interval in the Tethys Realm, Mexico and Romania

Upper Barremian–lower Aptian rock sequences in northeast Mexico and the South Carpathians of Romania display palaeoenvironmental and palaeobiologic similarities. The upper Barremian deposits in both areas studied accumulated in shallow marine environments. A latest Barremian transgression was recorded only in Romania, where it is characterized by the prevalence of marly sequences that include mixed Tethyan and Boreal floras and faunas. In both study areas, late Barremian shallow-marine carbonate platforms were succeeded by deep-marine facies in the early Aptian. This was probably related to the early Aptian global sea-level rise. The Barremian/Aptian boundary in both areas is indicated approximately by the first occurrence of the foraminifer species Palorbitolina lenticularis, a bioevent that is coincident with the acme of the foraminifer group Orbitolina. In the early Aptian, Tethyan faunas and floras characteristic of the late Barremian were replaced by cosmopolitan assemblages, an event coincident with the first appearance in Romania of the ammonite genus Deshayesites.

Glacial–Interglacial cycles in arid regions of northern Eurasia

Considering evolution of arid environments in northern Eurasia through the “glaciation–Interglacial” cycle the author adheres to the opinion as stated by I.P. Gerasimov. According to the latter, Pluvial stages in arid regions correspond to glaciations in the arcto-boreal zone, while xerothermal stages are synchronous to Interglacials. There are new paleofloristic evidence obtained in support of this opinion. In particular, it has been inferred from pollen spectra that during Pluvial stages boreal flora (including forest species) penetrated into the Caspian Lowland, Turanian Plain and to the Black Sea coast—i.e., the regions of dry steppes and deserts at present. At the xerothermal stages the typical steppe and desert landscapes of arid zone were restored.

The origin and success of polyploids in the boreal circumpolar Flora: A new analysis

The origin and success of polyploids in the boreal circumpolar Flora: A new analysis

Scolochloa festucacea (Poaceae)in Hungary

Király, G.: Scolochloa festucacea (Poaceae) in Hungary. — Willdenowia 35: 259–263. — ISSN 0511-9618; © 2005 BGBM Berlin-Dahlem. doi:10.3372/wi.35.35205 (available via http//dx.doi.org/)The discovery of the circumboreal grass Scolochloa festucacea in Hungary, which is also its first known locality in the entire Carpathian Basin, is documented. Only one population was found, near Földsziget in the western fen basin of the Hanság region in NW Hungary. The locality, where it grows as a dominant, stand-forming species in an area of c. 10 hectare, is one of the low elevation refugia of the boreal flora in Central Europe, indicating the relict character of its Hungarian occurrence.

Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Store Koldewey, North-East Greenland

The Jurassic of Store Koldewey comprises a Middle Jurassic succession towards the south and an Upper Jurassic succession towards the north. Both successions onlap crystalline basement and coarse sediments dominate. Three main lithostratigraphical units are recognised: the Pelion Formation, including the Spath Plateau Member, the Payer Dal Formation and the Bernbjerg Formation. Rich marine macrofaunas include Boreal ammonites and the successions are dated as Late Bathonian – Early Callovian and Late Oxfordian – Early Kimmeridgian on the basis of new collections combined with material in earlier collections. Fine-grained horizons and units have been analysed for dinoflagellate cysts and the stratigraphy of the diverse and well-preserved flora has been integrated with the Boreal ammonite stratigraphy. The dinoflagellate floras correlate with contemporaneous floras from Milne Land, Jameson Land and Hold with Hope farther to the south in East Greenland, and with Peary Land in North Greenland and Svalbard towards the north. The Middle Jurassic flora shows local variations in East Greenland whereas the Upper Jurassic flora gradually changes northwards in East Greenland. A Boreal flora occurs in Peary Land and Svalbard. The characteristic and stratigraphically important species Perisseiasphaeridium pannosum and Oligosphaeridium patulum have their northernmost occurrence on Store Koldewey, whereas Taeniophora iunctispina and Adnatosphaeridium sp. extend as far north as Peary Land. Assemblages of dinoflagellate cysts are used to characterise significant regional flooding events and extensive sequence stratigraphic units.

Relict spruce forest “islands” in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra – Control sites for long-term climatic monitoring

Based on studies of the botanical structure of spruce forest “islands” preserved from the Holocene optimum in the western part of the Bolshezemelskaya tundra it is concluded that in connection with possible global climate warming in the coming decades, we can expect a spread of forest vegetation to the tundra. Refuges of dwarf shrub – moss spruce forest with a boreal flora may serve as introgression sources for Picea obovata and other taiga species in a tundra phytocoenosis. Spruce forest islands were chosen as a theme for long-term climatic monitoring.

A new interglacial stage in Poland (Augustovian) and the problem of the age of the oldest Pleistocene till

Several new boreholes have been investigated in northeastern Poland. They proved up to ten undisturbed till beds in superposition. Two interglacial lacustrine sequences have also been found. The lower interglacial sequence rests on the oldest till in the region and is probably overlain by two Elsterian tills. The upper interglacial sequence rests directly upon the latter two tills and has yielded a pollen succession typical of the Mazovian (Holsteinian) stage. The lower interglacial sequence shows a different pollen succession, unlike any other known in Poland. It has been therefore defined as a new, Augustovian interglacial stage, containing two warm events (optimum phases) separated by a cold period with only boreal flora. The lithostratigraphical position of the new interglacial suggests a classical Cromerian age. However, although the pollen succession of the upper optimum stage of the Augustovian is superficially very similar to the British Pastonian, correlation with the Leerdam Interglacial is possible, but it may also represent a completely new warm episode of the Cromerian. The paper presents discussion on possible different age interpretations of this warm stage and the underlying till.

Habitat qualities versus long-term continuity as determinants of biodiversity in boreal old-growth swamp forests

Natural swamp forests are extremely rare in Sweden because of extensive drainage and logging activities. This study reports a total of 517 species (148 vascular plants, 131 mosses, 64 hepatics, 142 lichens and 32 wood-inhabiting fungi) from 10 small remnants of boreal old-growth swamp forests. The 195 bryophytes found represent 33% of the total number of bryophyte species in the Swedish boreal flora. As the average area of the forests was only 2ha, this figure clearly illustrates the important role of the swamp forests as centres of bryophyte biodiversity.There was no relationship between the occurrence of 33 lichen and fungi species considered to indicate natural forests with long stand continuity and the known long-term continuity of the forests. The forests most affected by earlier natural and man-made fires harboured more of these species than forests less affected by fire disturbance. The most important variable explaining biodiversity as well as presence of ‘continuity indicator species’ was the amount of dead wood present. A more critical and careful use of the concept of forest continuity is needed.

Aspectos de la historia de la vegetación de México con base en macrofósiles de angiospermas

La historia de la vegetación de México es conocida principalmente con base en extrapolaciones basadas en la flora actual y/o conocimiento paleobotánico realizado en otros países. Mientras que los macrofósiles comprueban que en el pasado, como en la actualidad, la flora de México tuvo relación con las de otras partes del mundo, su estudio evidencia que durante el Cretácico ésta tenía afinidad con las floras boreales, aunque varias de las plantas encontradas en estos sedimentos tienen relaciones filogenéticas cercanas con plantas que ahora crecen de manera natural en el hemisferio sur. En el Terciario la relación con las floras boreales se mantuvo, sugiriendo que, si bien algunas plantas se originaron en Gondwana, algunos de sus géneros o especies pudieron diferenciarse y aun tener una importante radiación en el hemisferio norte, con en el caso de ciertas Anarcardiaceae y posiblemente algunas Leguminosae. Dentro de esta última familia, Lysiloma sugiere que taxa endémicos que hoy caracterizan a la vegetación de México tienen una larga historia, pues son conocidos del Oligoceno. Otra planta dentro de la familia. Reinweberia, señala la presencia de plantas que fueron endémicas de lo que hoy es el territorio nacional pero que se extinguieron, por lo que puede pensarse que la vegetación de México desde hace tiempo tiene un carácter distintivo. Los macrofósiles de angiospermas sugieren que sólo recientemente , posiblemente no hace más de 10 millones de años, se establecieron los tipos de vegetación que hoy reconocemos, aunque en el pasado pudieron existir formas semejantes.

Bryophytes of Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Quebec: a boreal flora with arctic and alpine components

The Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve has a bryophyte flora of 302 species, including 233 mosses and 69 hepatics. This includes about 45% of the known bryoflora of the Gulf of St. Lawrence region. The park bryophyte flora is dominated by boreal species and has lesser representation of temperate and arctic-alpine species. About 73% of the park flora belongs to the boreal distributional element and two-thirds of these species are circumboreal or widespread in the boreal biome of the northern hemisphere. The flora is youthful and all species have colonized the islands within the last 7000 years. Most of the Mingan species probably originated from populations that survived during the last glaciation in sites south of the icesheet margin. However, many species could have migrated to the islands from nearby réfugia within the Gulf of St. Lawrence region where they were able to survive the glaciation in situ. These refugial species include many of the arctic-alpine and montane species found in the park. Key words: Mingan Islands, bryophytes, diversity, glaciation.

Early stages of formation and dispersal of the temperate flora in the Boreal Region

Budantsev, L. Yu. (Komarov Botanical Institute, Prof. Popov Str. 2, 197376 St. Petersburg, Russia). Early stages of formation and dispersal of the temperate flora in the Boreal Region. Bot. Rev.58(1): 1–48, 1992.—The thesis of this review is that, as stated as early as 1908 by V. L. Komarov, the composition of a flora can be understood only as a process, or separate stage, in the context of migration in time and space of various floristic assemblages and their isolation, as induced by transformation of continental and ocean shapes, changes in climate, and the environment as a whole. Thus the formation of geofloras of the past was influenced by gradually changing environments that determined the spread, patterning, and spatial differentiation of floras and their evolution. Parallel to the more commonly-seen names of eras—Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic—we can speak of the Paleophytic, Mesophytic, and Cenophytic eras. Eras defined in these two ways (by faunistic or by floristic criteria) do not completely coincide. Generally, changes in the flora have, necessarily, preceded changes in the fauna. It is the Cenophytic with which this review is mostly concerned, the era of Angiosperm dominance. The movement of early subtropical and warm temperate floras in the Early Cenophytic, followed by temperate or even boreal floras, as the climate changes, is traced in detail. The regions discussed most fully are the Boreal-Atlantic and Boreal-Pacific, with emphasis on the Angaro-Beringian flora. The disappearance of archaic forms (e.g., cycadophytes) and the gradual predominance of angiosperms is documented. The movements of the floral assemblages in response to environmental changes are mapped and described. The early development and diversification of the boreal temperate flora is considered to have taken place mainly in Angaro-Beringia, associated with the invasive migration of tropical angiosperms from southeastern Asia.

Lichens of Yellowstone National Park

One hundred eighty-six lichen species have been identified from Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Seven species have primarily a western dry rock-grassland distribution pattern; the rest are best associated with arctic, alpine, and boreal floras. Eighty-one percent of the species have a broad distribution in North America; 19% are restricted in North America to the west and northwest. Factors contributing to the relatively small number of species are probably the altitude; cold, dry climate; and recurring fires leading to rather homogeneous lodgepole pine forests. Yellowstone National Park, in the northern Rocky Mountains, is the nation's first and largest national park, covering 8,950 km2 in the northwest corner of Wyoming and small adjacent parts of Montana and Idaho (44008'-45007'N, 109*50'-111010'W). It is a large volcanic plateau ranging from about 1,660- 3,335 m, with most of the Park between 2,120- 2,425 m in elevation. While some casual collecting of lichens has occurred in the Park, this paper rep- resents the first effort at cataloging the lichen flora.

C4 grasses from the boreal forest region of northwestern Canada

Six C4 grasses (Distichlis stricta, Muhlenbergia glomerata var. cinnoides, M. mexicana, M. richardsonis, Spartina gracilis, S. pectinata) were found in grassy openings in the boreal forest of northwestern Canada. High carbon isotope ratios and Kranz anatomy confirmed that these northern populations are functionally C4 grasses. Muhlenbergia mexicana was assumed to be a C4 grass on the basis of published data. Recent collections of C4 plants tended to have more negative δ13C values than older collections from northern locations, which may reflect decreases in δ13C of atmospheric CO2 over time. In general, northern C4 species had lower δ13C values than those reported for their southern counterparts. The boreal climate in the north supports C4 species only where the mean minimum temperature for July is at least 7.5 °C. C4 grasses were found in microsites warmed by high irradiance or geothermal activity; many of the sites had saline substrates. Northern C4 populations are rare and unique in the boreal flora and deserve special protection.

Application of palynology in the stratigraphy of quaternary deposits of the U.S.S.R.

The analysis of the data on Pleistocene and Upper Pliocene forest floras in the territory of the U.S.S.R. showed that they can be subdivided into three successive age groups on the basis of the same criterion, the generic composition of geographical groups of dendroflora. Group I is characterized by the presence of American-East Asian and American-Mediterranean-Asian genera: prenemoral flora with similar composition throughout the continent. Group II is characterized by the presence of the only group of genera which is absent in the modern flora of the region: protonemoral flora in Europe and the Far East with American-Mediterranean-Asian genera and quaiboreal in Siberia and Kamchatka with American-Euro-Asian genera. Group III is characterized by the total absence of the genera which are not represented in the modern local flora: nemoral in Europe and the Far East and boreal in Siberia and Kamchatka. The stratigraphic position of the prenemoral flora corresponds to the Lower Pleistocene and the Upper Pliocene. Paleomagnetic evidence of the Ural and Middle Asia indicates that the prenemoral flora existed during the Matuyama epoch. The protonemoral flora in Europe and the Far East corresponds to the Middle Pleistocene interglacials. Nemoral and boreal floras correspond to the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene. Paleomagnetic data on the Kama region, Middle Asia and the Far East indicate that floras of groups II and III existed during the Brunhes epoch. For more detailed subdivision of the deposits other criteria should be used.

Cavernularia hultenii in Northernmost Newfoundland and Southern Labrador

The range of Cavernularia hultenii in eastern North America extends as far north as southern Labrador (51940'N) and the northernmost tip of Newfoundland (51035'N). The habitats of C. hultenii are described. All share a highly humid microclimate. In northern Newfoundland, this apparently drought-sensitive lichen is most common near the east coast where the general climate is more favorable for the generation of suitable microhabitats. The first collections of Cavernularia hultenii Degel. in eastern North America were made by Ahti in the summer of 1956 from the Avalon and Burin Peninsulas of southeastern Newfoundland (Ahti 1959; Ahti & Henssen 1965). We are now able to report a number of new stations from the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland and from southern Labrador that provide a considerable range extension northward for this oceanic element in the boreal lichen flora of eastern Canada. In addition, two thalli of C. hultenii in one of the northernmost localities (near Raleigh) were found to have numerous galls on them, resembling those reported on C. hultenii near Fort Louisbourg, Nova Scotia (Maass & Rice 1982). Cavernularia hultenii is a sorediate species that is expected to spread effectively into all available suitable habitats by its small vegetative propagules. Its substrate specificity is exceedingly low (Maass 1981). Therefore, the presently known distribution of this predominantly coastal lichen largely reflects the microclimate in its habitats and the travelling routes of observant botanists (see Fig. 1). In Nova Scotia, C. hultenii is only found within a narrow strip to 1-2 km inland from the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. It is conspicuously absent from the coastlands of the Bay of Fundy and Northumberland Straits with their warmer climates, as well as from industrial areas that over the years have received a considerable amount of air pollution (Maass 1981). The overall distribution and ecology of C. hultenii are of considerable interest because of its present narrow range, which includes small areas in Scandinavia (Degelius 1952), Scotland (Swinscow 1960) and western North America (Ahti & Henssen 1965) as well as Nova Scotia (Maass 1981). Its frequency in northernmost Newfoundland and southern Labrador (Fig. 1) suggests that C. hultenii may possibly also occupy the easternmost edge