Studies On Diversity Distribution and Medico Botany Of Lichen Flora Of Mayurbhanj District Of Odisha

Abstract

ABSTRACT newlineLichens are nature s most remarkable alliances known as pioneers of succession in a terrestrial ecosystem as the earliest colonizer contributing to the evolution of land plants. Lichens constitute not only a highly heterogeneous group but also are complex organisms composed of a fungal (the mycobiont) and an algal partner (the phycobiont) living in a symbiotic association forming a distinct structure (thallus). The phycobiont is either a member of the chlorophyta (green alga) in most of the cases, as 90% of lichens contain chlorophyll, or a cyanobacterium (blue-green alga) representing about 10% of the total lichens. Of late, they have attracted considerable attention as one of the most significant bio-indicators of air pollution. newlineThe investigations on lichen diversity have now assumed a lot of significance as lichenologists are making serious efforts to catalogue lichen diversity in the face of global warming and climate change, habitat loss owing to frequent natural (soil/land erosion) and/or anthropogenic disturbances that leads to their high extinction risk. Due to the complexity of identification and inadequacy of knowledge about lichens, they are often avoided by both biologists and naturalists. Lichens are rarely studied because of the difficulties encountered such as the lack of sufficient up-to-date literature, taxonomic keys and reference collections, especially of preserved lichen materials of the locality. At present, studies related to lichens as bio-monitoring and bio-indicators of environmental contamination and preparation of inventories of lichens of special habitat have become a global pursuit. Thus, it has become quite essential to survey and document the lichen diversity because these organisms will be unable to survive for a long time due to fast depletion of their preferred substrata, such as bark, twig, dead wood, leaf, soil, stone, rock etc. newlineThe present work portrays lichen diversity in the Mayurbhanj district of the State of Odisha. The study area covers an area of 10418 sq. km.