Lichens of Aisen, Southern Chile

Abstract

The lichen mycobiota of Aisen (southern Chile) comprises 319 taxa in 87 genera. All of the species of Menegazzia and
Protousnea, previously recorded in Chile, are present in this region. The diversity of biomes, from temperate rainforests
?particularly in oceanic zones? to steppe areas, offers an enormous number of macro and microhabitats favorable for
lichens. The highest lichen diversity, 56 %, was recorded in an undisturbed locality in Laguna San Rafael National Park.
Lichen species diversity is higher in oceanic temperate rainforests than in steppe areas, where the majority of Antarctic
lichens (23 %) are registered. Levels of endemism are rather high (26 %) and are due mainly to species of the genera
Protousnea, Pseudocyphellaria, Menegazzia, Cladonia, Sticta, Nephroma. Other biogeographical elements in the región’s
lichen mycobiota are: cosmopolitan (16 %), austral (16 %) and bipolar (13 %). Lichen diversity in Aisen represents about
20 % of the known lichen mycobiota of Chile.