Six new species of foliicolous lichenized fungi are described as new to science from lowland rainforest in the Congo Basin: Bapalmuia serusiauxiana Van den Broeck, Lücking & Ertz (Pilocarpaceae) characterized by (7–)15(–19)-septate ascospores of (40–)50–65(–72)×1·5–2·5 μm, Microtheliopsis ramazaniana Van den Broeck, Lücking & Ertz (Microtheliopsidaceae) characterized by 1-septate ascospores of 13–16×3–5 μm, Phylloblastiaverheyeniana Van den Broeck, Lücking & Ertz (Verrucariaceae) characterized by 3-septate ascospores of 13–15(–17)×3·0–4·5 μm, Porina duduana Van den Broeck, Lücking & Ertz (Porinaceae) characterized by 3-septate ascospores of 11·0–14·5×2·5–3·0 μm, perithecia 130–150(–170) μm diam. and a photobiont with angular-rounded and irregularly arranged cells, Porina gryseelsiana Van den Broeck, Lücking & Ertz (Porinaceae) characterized by orange-brown perithecia and 7–9(–12)-septate ascospores of 29–46×5·0–7·5 μm, Porina weghiana Van den Broeck, Lücking & Ertz (Porinaceae) characterized by the presence of disc-shaped isidia, yellow perithecia without apical appendages and (7–)9-septate ascospores of 33–50×5·0–6·5 μm. In addition, 53 species new for the Democratic Republic of the Congo are listed, including five species new for tropical Africa and six new for the Palaeotropics, thus raising the number of species known from the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 150 to 209. Keys are presented to all known species of Microtheliopsis and to species of Porina with disc-shaped isidia.

The new genus and species Isalonactis madagascariensis is characterized by a crustose, non-corticate, often sorediate thallus containing psoromic acid, tiny white pruinose ascomata with a thalline margin, an inconspicuous excipulum, a pale brown hypothecium, 3-septate hyaline ascospores and curved filiform conidia. Phylogenetic analyses using nuLSU and RPB2 sequences place Isalonactis in the Roccellaceae, close to the genera Lecanactis and Chiodecton. The new species was collected on sheltered siliceous rocks in the dry landscape of the Isalo Massif (S Madagascar). Dermatiscum thunbergii is newly recorded from Madagascar.

Pertusaria yunnana G. L. Zhou & Lu L. Zhang from south-western China is described as new to science. This corticolous species is characterized by the white pruinose disciform apothecia, asci with 8 ascospores, and the presence of atranorin in addition to fumarprotocetraric acid. Related lichen taxa are discussed and a key to 21 corticolous species of Pertusaria with disciform apothecia and 8-spored asci is also provided.

A new genus, Catenarina (Teloschistaceae, Ascomycota), with three species is described from the Southern Hemisphere, supported by molecular data. All species contain the secondary metabolite 7-chlorocatenarin, previously unknown in lichens. Catenarinadesolata is a non-littoral, lichenicolous species found on volcanic and soft sedimentary rock at 190–300 m in and near steppes in southernmost Chile and on the subantarctic island, Kerguelen. Catenarina vivasiana grows on maritime rocks and on rock outcrops in lowland Nothofagus forests, but has also been found at altitudes up to c. 580 m on moss and detritus on outcrops in Tierra del Fuego. The Antarctic species Caloplaca iomma is transferred to Catenarina based on chemical data; it grows on rocks near the coast in maritime Antarctica.

The green algal photobionts of 12 Xanthoria, seven Xanthomendoza, two Teloschistes species and Josefpoeltia parva (all Teloschistaceae) were analyzed. Xanthoria parietina was sampled on four continents. More than 300 photobiont isolates were brought into sterile culture. The nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (nrITS; 101 sequences) and the large subunit of the RuBiSco gene (rbcL; 54 sequences) of either whole lichen DNA or photobiont isolates were phylogenetically analyzed. ITS and rbcL phylogenies were congruent, although some subclades had low bootstrap support. Trebouxia arboricola,T. decolorans and closely related, unnamed Trebouxia species, all belonging to clade A, were found as photobionts of Xanthoria species. Xanthomendoza species associated with either T. decolorans (clade A), T. impressa, T. gelatinosa (clade I) or with an unnamed Trebouxia species. Trebouxia gelatinosa genotypes (clade I) were the photobionts of Teloschistes chrysophthalmus,T. hosseusianus and Josefpoeltia parva. Only weak correlations between distribution patterns of algal genotypes and environmental conditions or geographical location were observed.

Lichen community changes were investigated on trees within a colony of great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) established in a pine forest on the Curonian Spit, western Lithuania. The impact of birds on the forest has altered the number and characteristics of substrata available to lichens. The lowest number of lichen species and occurrences was registered on trees in the most active part of the colony with the highest nest density. Lichen community patterns were most strongly related to P and Ca content in substrata and pH values. Some acidophytic species showed negative correlations, both with long-term and short-term ornithogenic influence. However, three acidophytes (Chaenotheca ferruginea, Lepraria incana, Coenogonium pineti) demonstrated an affinity for the transitional zone and recently occupied trees, and furthermore, C. pineti apparently reacted positively to a short-term ornithogenic influence but negatively to a long-term one. These three lichens, along with algae, were the main, and often the only, components of epiphytic communities on trees at the edge of the colony and apparently indicated the crucial point of the acidophytic community under the increasing load of nutrients. All nitrophytic species showed an affinity for a long-term bird influence and reacted negatively to a short-term influence. Only free-living algae (predominating species Desmococcus olivaceus) showed a clear affinity for trees occupied by bird nests. Hypogymnia physodes was found to be an indicator for early environmental changes following eutrophication. The study also showed that high concentrations of P did not have a mitigating effect on the detrimental impact brought about by increases in N and pH levels, but was possibly equally detrimental to acidophytic lichens.

Deer exclosure is an important management strategy for encouraging woodland regeneration in the presence of high numbers of Cervus elaphus L. This could pose a threat to important saxicolous lichen communities as a result of competition from bryophytes and other vegetation. This investigation compared the bryophyte and lichen communities associated with siliceous rock outcrops and boulders inside and outside a number of exclosures in wet heath vegetation at the Gruinard, Letterewe and Little Gruinard estates in Wester Ross. Species cover data were recorded from 6600·2×0·2 m quadrats, allocated to three different aspects of rocks, from 22 pairs of plots (placed either side of a deer fence) with randomization at each level of this hierarchy. The data were analyzed using linear mixed effects models. Mean lichen cover, diversity and species richness were significantly lower in quadrats on rocks within the exclosures. Mean bryophyte cover was significantly higher in quadrats on rocks inside the deer fence and was shown to have a highly significant negative relationship with total lichen cover. Saxicolous lichen species are particularly affected by the increase in shading and litter accumulation from the surrounding plants and the subsequent growth of bryophytes and heath vegetation on rocks within the exclosures. The results of this study have implications for the use of exclosures at locations where there are important saxicolous lichen communities.