DNA-Barcoding of the moss-dwelling representatives of the lichen genus Rinodina (lichenized Ascomycetes, Physciaceae)
Higher Alpine altitudes are characterized by the dominant symbiotic life form of the lichens. The moss-dwelling taxa of the genus Rinodina are potential bioindicators for the impact of climate change on alpine habitats. The genus contains about 300 species, but its detailed systematic is still unclear and is largely reliant on phenotypic data. Therefore, the systematics shall be investiagted with the help of molecular biological methods.
In a first study the systematic of the Rinodina degeliana/R. subparieta and the Rinodina mniaraea group were investigated. Morphological, anatomical, chemical, and molecular biological analyses suggest that R. degeliana and R. subparieta are conspecific, and that chemical morphs within the R. mniaraea group should be recognized as distinct species. Within this study, also ITS and mtSSU sequences from 24 specimens were created, with 3 specimens originating from Austria.
Further studies on the phylogeny of the genus Rinodina are planned.
Team
Ass. Prof. Dr. Helmut Mayrhofer
University of Graz
Mag. Peter Bilovitz
University of Graz
Mag. Philipp Resl
University of Graz
Publications:
Add-on Project of the FWF-Project 25078-B16: Lichens of the Alps: diversity and climate change.
