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Current issue: Volume 25, No. 1 (2025)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.59893/abud.25(1).002
Dumaran M.F.M., Villegas J.P., Azuelo A.G. 2025. Species Inventory and new distribution records of macrolichens in Mt. Mayo, Davao Oriental, Philippines. Acta Biol. Univ. Daugavp., 2025(1): 33-48.
Abstract
Macrolichens are of global study interest because of their capacity to indicate ecological health. They serve as valuable indicators of the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change across various ecosystems. However, lichenological studies in the Philippines are sporadic, especially in Mindanao, where there are limited human and financial resources for biodiversity research. The present study provides the first-ever species inventory of macrolichens in a biodiversity hotspot, the Mt. Mayo Range in Davao Oriental, Mindanao Island, Philippines. The quadrat and alpha taxonomy methods were conducted in montane and dipterocarp forests at an elevation range of 740 to 1,290 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) in 2022. Fifty-nine macrolichen species, belonging to 17 genera and 8 families, were documented. Many of these species are foliose and thrive on tree bark. Of the documented species, five are new records for the Philippines: Leptogium milligranum Sierk, Lobaria spathulata (Inumaru) Yoshim, Sticta diversa (Stirt.) Zahlbr., Peltigera pruinosa (Gyeln.) Inumaru, and Polyblastidium propaguliferum (Vain.) Kalb. The highest Shannon diversity index is recorded in the montane forests (H‘=3.18), followed by the dipterocarp (H‘=2.90), and the lower dipterocarp forests (H‘=2.78). The Sørensen similarity index also reveals high species overlap (Cs=0.52) between the montane and dipterocarp forests. This highlights the importance of recognizing Mt. Mayo as a protected landscape and a crucial habitat for macrolichens. Community education and engagement of local and indigenous communities must be undertaken to inform conservation goals. The establishment of a local herbarium is deemed necessary to preserve specimens for education, research, and conservation purposes.
Keywords: biodiversity, Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor, lichens, Southeast Asia, taxonomy.
*Corresponding author: Maria Fe M. Dumaran. Davao Oriental Regional Science High School, Government Center, Dahican, City of Mati, Davao Oriental, 8200 Philippines. Ph.D. Science Education Program, College of Arts and Sciences, Bukidnon State University, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, 8700 Philippines. Email: mariafedumaran@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2737-3041
Jhonnel P. Villegas. Faculty of Teacher Education, Davao Oriental State University, City of Mati, Davao Oriental, 8200 Philippines. Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Praha-Suchdol 16500, Czech Republic. jhonnel.villegas@dorsu.edu.ph. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6387-2381
Andrea G. Azuelo. College of Arts and Sciences, Bukidnon State University, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, 8700 Philippines. Email: azuelonenecmu@yahoo.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6605-6128
