Alpha Lichens diversity in sandstone conglomerates in the Provincial Reserve Los Colorados, La Rioja - Argentina

Abstract

The Provincial Reserve Los Colorados is located in the Independencia Department, province of La Rioja. Geologically, it is a formation of the Upper Triassic, which presents conglomerates of red sandstones forming an atypical landscape due to wind and fluvial erosion. Characterized by its aridity and warm continental climate, the typical vegetation corresponds to the phytogeographic province of Monte. Our objective was to determine the composition of the community of saxicolous lichens in the Reserve Los Colorados. For that, we carried out three transects of 100 m along which we established 3 quadrants of 20 x 20 cm. Each quadrant was divided into 100 grids of 2 cm x 2 cm. Samples were collected for the taxonomical identification in the High Complex Laboratory (LAC) of the National University of Chilecito (UNdeC) with routine techniques. The frequency of lichens is represented in percentages per family: Acarosporaceae (55,7%), Peltulaceae (19,7%), Physciaceae (15,9%), Parmeliaceae (4,6%), Candelariaceae (3,5%) and Teloschistaceae (0,6%). Of these, 6 genera, 10 species and 6 morphospecies were identified. Acarosporaceae: Acarospora aff. schleicheri and A. xanthophana, plus six morphospecies. Candelariaceae: Candelariella vitellina. Peltulaceae: Peltula lobulata. Physciaceae: Physcia undulata, P. lopezii, P. crispa and P. tribacia. Parmeliaceae: Xanthoparmelia ferraroiana. Teloschistaceae: Rusavskia elegans. Peltula lobulata is mentioned for the first time for Argentina and three species are new for the province: Acarospora aff. schleicheri, Physcia crispa and P. lopezii. The distribution range in the province of La Rioja is extended for the following species: Acarospora xanthophane, Candelariella vitellina, Physcia tribacia, P. undulata, Xanthoparmelia ferraroiana y Rusavskia elegans.