Biological Museum, Lund University

We introduce and provide a new data-set of species-specific ecological indicator values (alternative ‘Ellenberg values’ for climatic variables, light, moisture, soil reaction/pH, salinity, nitrogen and phosphorus plus response to management and disturbance), physiological and reproductive traits (including symbionts, phenology, pollinators, nectar production, seed properties), indices of relevance for conservation (including introduction history and biodiversity relevance), and presence in 38 main vegetation types for all vascular plant species of Sweden based on a broad survey of published and unpublished data. The potential uses and limitations of the values, traits and indices are briefly outlined and discussed.

Aims : To develop a consistent ecological indicator value system for Europe for five of the main plant niche dimensions: soil moisture (M), soil nitrogen (N), soil reaction (R), light (L) and temperature (T). Study area : Europe (and closely adjacent regions). Methods : We identified 31 indicator value systems for vascular plants in Europe that contained assessments on at least one of the five aforementioned niche dimensions. We rescaled the indicator values of each dimension to a continuous scale, in which 0 represents the minimum and 10 the maximum value present in Europe. Taxon names were harmonised to the Euro+Med Plantbase. For each of the five dimensions, we calculated European values for niche position and niche width by combining the values from the individual EIV systems. Using T values as an example, we externally validated our European indicator values against the median of bioclimatic conditions for global occurrence data of the taxa. Results : In total, we derived European indicator values of niche position and niche width for 14,835 taxa (14,714 for M, 13,748 for N, 14,254 for R, 14,054 for L, 14,496 for T). Relating the obtained values for temperature niche position to the bioclimatic data of species yielded a higher correlation than any of the original EIV systems ( r = 0.859). The database : The newly developed Ecological Indicator Values for Europe (EIVE) 1.0, together with all source systems, is available in a flexible, harmonised open access database. Conclusions : EIVE is the most comprehensive ecological indicator value system for European vascular plants to date. The uniform interval scales for niche position and niche width provide new possibilities for ecological and macroecological analyses of vegetation patterns. The developed workflow and documentation will facilitate the future release of updated and expanded versions of EIVE, which may for example include the addition of further taxonomic groups, additional niche dimensions, external validation or regionalisation. Abbreviations : EIV = Ecological indicator value; EIVE = Ecological Indicator Values for Europe; EVA = European Vegetation Archive; GBIF = Global Biodiversity Information Facility; i = index for taxa; j = index for EIV systems; L = ecological indicator for light; M = ecological indicator for moisture; N = ecological indicator for nitrogen availability; R = ecological indicator for reaction; T = ecological indicator for temperature.

The phylogenetic relationship of lecanoroid lichens is studied using two data sets: 1) a 2-locus data set including 251 OTUs representing 150 species, and 2) a 6-locus data set with 82 OTUs representing 53 species. The genus Lecanora as currently circumscribed is shown to be highly polyphyletic and several genera, including Adelolecia, Arctopeltis, Bryonora, Carbonea, Frutidella, Lecidella, Miriquidica, Palicella, Protoparmeliopsis, Pyrrhospora, and Rhizoplaca are nested within Lecanora sensu lato. A core group of Lecanora is supported as monophyletic and includes species of the L. carpinea, L. rupicola, and L. subcarnea groups, and a core group of the L. subfusca group. Three monophyletic clades that are well supported in our analyses and well characterized by phenotypical characters are accepted here: 1) Myriolecis to accommodate the Lecanora dispersa group and Arctopeltis; 2) Protoparmeliopsis for the L. muralis group; and 3) Rhizoplaca is emended to include three placodioid taxa previously classified in Lecanora (L. novomexicana. L. opiniconensis, L. phaedrophthalma), whereas R. aspidophora and R. peltata are excluded from Rhizoplaca. The latter is transferred into Protoparmeliopsis. Lecidella is strongly supported as a monophyletic group. Our studies indicate the presence of additional clades of species currently placed in Lecanora sensu lato that warrant taxonomic recognition but additional data will be necessary before the circumscription of these entities is fully understood. 37 new combinations are proposed into the genera Myriolecis (30), Protoparmeliopsis (2), and Rhizoplaca (5).

Abstract Land‐use changes, pollution and climate warming during the 20th century have caused changes in biodiversity across the world. However, in many cases, the environmental drivers are poorly understood. To identify and rank the drivers currently causing broad‐scale floristic changes in N Europe, we analysed data from two vascular plant surveys of 200 randomly selected 2.5 × 2.5 km grid‐squares in Scania, southernmost Sweden, conducted 1989–2006 and 2008–2015, respectively, and related the change in frequency (performance) of the species to a wide range of species‐specific plant traits. We chose traits representing all plausible drivers of recent floristic changes: climatic change (northern distribution limit, flowering time), land‐use change (light requirement, response to grazing/mowing, response to soil disturbance), drainage (water requirement), acidification ( pH optimum), nitrogen deposition and eutrophication (N requirement, N fixation ability, carnivory, parasitism, mycorrhizal associations), pollinator decline (mode of reproduction) and changes in CO 2 levels (photosynthetic pathway). Our results suggest that climate warming and changes in land‐use were the main drivers of changes in the flora during the last decades. Climate warming appeared as the most influential driver, with northern distribution limit explaining 30%–60% of the variance in the GLMM models. However, the relative importance of the drivers differed among habitat types, with grassland species being affected the most by cessation of grazing/mowing and species of ruderal habitats by on‐going concentration of both agriculture and human population to the most productive soils. For wetland species, only pH optimum was significantly related to species performance, possibly an effect of the increasing humification of acidic water bodies. An observed relative decline of mycorrhizal species may possibly be explained by decreasing nitrogen deposition resulting in less competition for phosphorus. We found no effect of shortage or decline of pollinating lepidopterans and bees.

Three new for science genera, i.e.: Erichansenia S. Y. Kondr., Kärnefelt et A. Thell for the ‘Caloplaca’ epithallina group of the subfamily Xanthorioideae, as well as Lendemeriella S. Y. Kondr. for the Caloplaca reptans group, and Pisutiella S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et E. Farkas for the Caloplaca conversa group of the subfamily Caloplacoideae of the Teloschistaceae, are described on the basis of results of the three gene phylogeny of the Teloschistaceae based on nrITS, nrLSU and mtSSU sequences. Twenty-seven new combinations, i.e.: Erichansenia epithallina (for Caloplaca epithallina Lynge), Erichansenia cryodesertorum (for Shackletonia cryodesertorum Garrido-Ben., Søchting et Pérez-Ort.), Erichansenia sauronii (for Caloplaca sauronii Søchting et Øvstedal), Fauriea mandshuriaensis (for Caloplaca mandshuriaensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur), Fauriea trassii (for Caloplaca trassii Galanina et S. Y. Kondr.), Lendemeriella borealis (for Lecanora pyracea f. borealis Vain.), Lendemeriella dakotensis (for Caloplaca dakotensis Wetmore), Lendemeriella exsecuta (for Lecanora exsecuta Nyl.), Lendemeriella lucifuga (for Caloplaca lucifuga G. Thor), Lendemeriella nivalis (for Zeora nivalis Körb.), Lendemeriella reptans (for Caloplaca reptans Lendemer et B. P. Hodk.), Lendemeriella sorocarpa (for Placodium sorocarpum Vain.), Lendemeriella tornoensis (for Caloplaca tornoensis H. Magn.), Pisutiella congrediens (for Lecanora congrediens Nyl.), Pisutiella conversa (for Callopisma conversum Kremp.), Pisutiella furax (for Caloplaca furax Egea et Llimona), Pisutiella grimmiae (for Lecanora grimmiae Nyl.), Pisutiella ivanpisutii (for Caloplaca ivanpisutii S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et Hur), Pisutiella phaeothamnos (for Caloplaca phaeothamnos K. Kalb et J. Poelt), Pyrenodesmia aetnensis (for Caloplaca aetnensis B. de Lesd.), Pyrenodesmia albolutescens (for Lecanora albolutescens Nyl.), Pyrenodesmia aractina (for Parmelia aractina Fr.), Pyrenodesmia atroflava (for Lecidea atroflava Turner), Pyrenodesmia bicolor (for Caloplaca bicolor H. Magn.), Pyrenodesmia molariformis (for Caloplaca molariformis Frolov, Vondrák, Nadyeina et Khodos.), Pyrenodesmia neotaurica (for Caloplaca neotaurica Vondrák, Khodos., Arup et Søchting), Pyrenodesmia peliophylla (for Placodium peliophyllum Tuck.) are proposed based on results from a combined phylogenetic analysis using nrITS, nrLSU and mtSSU gene sequences.

Brownlielloideae, a new subfamily in the Teloschistaceae, is proposed based on phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ribosomal DNA and 12S SSU mitochondrial DNA sequences. The data indicates that the new subfamily includes eight genera, i.e. Brownliella, Marchantiana and six new genera proposed here, Lazarenkoella, Raesaeneniana, Streimanniella, Tarasginia, Tayloriella and Thelliana. Lecanora kobeana Nyl. is lectotypified and shown to be an older name for the type species of the genus Brownliella, B. aequata . In addition, a seventh new genus, Neobrownliella is proposed in the subfamily Teloschistoideae. This new genus and the new species, Thelliana pseudokiamae are described. 13 new combinations are proposed: Brownliella kobeana, Fulgogasparrea appressa, Lazarenkoella zoroasteriorum, Neobrownliella brownlieae, N. montisfracti, Raesaeneniana maulensis, Streimanniella burneyensis, S. kalbiorum, S. michelagoensis, S. seppeltii, Tarasginia tomareeana, T. whinrayi and Tayloriella erythrosticta .

Guidelines identifying appropriate DNA extraction methods for both museum and modern biological samples are scarce or non-existent for mammalian species. Yet, obtaining large-scale genetic material collections are vital for conservation and management purposes. In this study, we evaluated five protocols making use of either spin-column, organic solvents, or magnetic bead-based methods for DNA extraction on skin samples from both modern, traffic-killed (n = 10) and museum (n = 10) samples of European hedgehogs, Ericaneus europaeus. We showed that phenol-chloroform or silica column (NucleoSpin Tissue) protocols yielded the highest amount of DNA with satisfactory purity compared with magnetic bead-based protocols, especially for museum samples. Furthermore, extractions using the silica column protocol appeared to produce longer DNA fragments on average than the other methods tested. Our investigation demonstrates that both commercial extraction kits and phenol-chloroform protocol retrieve acceptable DNA concentrations for downstream processes, from degraded remnants of traffic-killed and museum samples of mammalian specimens. Although all the tested methods could be applied depending on the research questions and laboratory conditions, commercial extraction kits may be preferred due to their effectiveness, safety and the higher quality of the DNA extractions.

Factors driving the species richness and distribution of bryophytes are poorly studied and not well understood, particularly in grasslands. We analysed the occurrence of bryophyte species and variation in species richness across 674 plots (0.5 m × 0.5 m) in alvar vegetation (grassland on limestone pavement with thin or no soil) on Öland (Sweden) in relation to substrate characteristics and chemistry, inundation frequency, grazing pressure and geographical variables. We found 148 taxa, including 11 nationally red-listed ones. Species richness per plot was significantly associated with substrate type, positively associated with pH and grazing intensity, but negatively associated with soil depth. However, richness of species typical of, or restricted to, alvar habitats responded differently to richness of species more common in other habitats. Typical alvar species were favoured by high pH, shallow soil and low phosphate availability, while generalists preferred relatively low pH, higher phosphate availability and organic or mull soil types. Distance from the alvar margin had only weak effects. Concerning the effects on individual species and community composition, inundation frequency and pH were found to have the largest effects, although other factors (substrate type, soil depth, bare soil, bare stone, phosphate availability and grazing pressure) were more important for some individual species, stressing the importance of microsite variability and variability in management for regional species richness. From a conservation perspective, it is concluded that grazing is generally positive whilst factors increasing phosphate availability may disadvantage the typical alvar species, and proximity to the alvar margin is not a major problem.

The lichen family Teloschistaceae from the Galapagos is revised. Most of the species belong to the Caloplacoideae, two to Teloschistoideae and a few to Xanthorioideae, three subfamilies not validly published, which is remedied here. Four different datasets were analyzed using Bayesian inference. For the bulk of the species, a combined dataset of nrITS, nrLSU and mrSSU was analyzed. Additionally, three analyses were performed using nrITS to further investigate phylogenetic relationships within and between species in each subfamily, and in the genera Xanthomendoza and Squamulea. Four new genera are described: Lacrima, Oceanoplaca, Phaeoplaca, Sucioplaca. Twenty-four species are reported, of which ten are new to science: Caloplaca nigra, Lacrima galapagoensis, Oceanoplaca chemoisidiosa, O. sideritoides, Phaeoplaca tortuca, Squamulea chelonia, S. humboldtiana, S. osseophila, S. oceanica, and Xanthomendoza leoncita. Several new combinations are proposed and three species of Xanthomendoza are reduced to synonymy. Several new combinations and species placed into synonymy do not occur in the Galapagos, but are treated as a consequence of our taxonomic revision. Morphology, anatomy, secondary chemistry, distribution and molecular phylogenetic affiliation are presented for each species and a key is provided. Eight different chemical patterns are quantitatively described based on HPLC analyses. The new genus Lacrima includes L. galapagoensis, a species without vegetative propagules, and two densely isidiate species, L. epiphora and L. aphanotripta that are morphologically similar to ‘Caloplaca’ wrightii. The only species of Galapagos Teloschistaceae that contains xanthones is placed into Huneckia. Oceanoplaca includes two species with the new anthraquinone isidiosin, O. isidiosa and O. chemoisidiosa, while a third species, O. sideritoides, does not contain this secondary metabolite. Phaeoplaca camptidia has previously been reported from Galapagos, but our phylogenetic analysis suggests that it is a new species, here named P. tortuca. An isolated position is occupied by ‘Caloplaca’ diplacia, which we place in it its own monotypic genus Sucioplaca. Some Galapagos Teloschistaceae can be considered a ‘residue’ of unresolved Caloplaca s.l., i.e. the corticolous C. floridana is possibly related to the saxicolous C. nigra, while C. cupulifera can currently not be placed. Squamulea remains particularly problematic and includes S. phyllidizans, that is nested among otherwise unresolved Squamulea species. Based on molecular data, S. phyllidizans is close to ‘Huriella’. ‘Huriella’ flakusii, described from Peru, is confirmed to occur in the Galapagos and the genus is reduced to synonymy with Squamulea. The Squamulea squamosa/subsoluta group remains largely unresolved, but the new species S. chelonia, S. humboldtiana, S. oceanica, and S. osseophila are phylogenetically distinct. Foliose Teloschistaceae are represented only by one species, described as Xanthomendoza leoncita, while the only fruticose species, Teloschistes chrysophthalmus and T. flavicans, are cosmopolitan.

Nineteen new to science species of lichen forming fungi, i.e.: Agonimia ascendens S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, A. sunchonensis S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, A. yongsangensis S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, Biatora loekoesiana S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, Caloplaca ivanpisutii S. Y. Kond., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Candelariella makarevichiae S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Huriella pohangensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, H. salyangiana S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, Hyperphyscia oxneri S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, Nectriopsis gangwondoensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Porina ulleungdoensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös, J. Halda et J.-S. Hur, Psoroglaena gangwondoensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös, J.-J. Woo et J.-S. Hur, Pyrenopsis cavernicola S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Rhizocarpon sunchonense S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, Rufoplaca ulleungensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Sarcogyne ulleungdoensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Skyttea bumyoungsungii S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, Thelopsis gangwondoensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös, J.-J. Woo et J.-S. Hur, Topelia loekoesiana S. Y. Kondr., J.-J. Woo et J.-S. Hur, all from South Korea, as well as Gallowayella awasthiana S. Y. Kondr. et D. K. Upreti from India and Franwilsia skottsbergii S. Y. Kondr., A. Thell, S.-O. Oh et J.-S. Hur from Chile are described, illustrated and compared with closely related taxa. A key to Agonimia species known from Eastern Asia is also included. Lecanora helicopis is recorded for Korea for the first time, as well as a number of new to Jeju-do Island species (i.e.: Agonimia loekoesii , Biatora pseudosambuci , Buellia extremoorientalis , and Ivanpisutia oxneri ) are recorded. Additional data on conidiomata and morphological characters of thallus and apothecia and illustrations as well as data on newly located isotype specimens recently described from Canary Islands, Spain Fominiella tenerifensis are provided. Two new combinations, i.e.: Phaeophyscia saxatilis (for Physcia saxatilis Kashiw.), and Xanthoparmelia umezuana (for Karoowia umezuana Moon K. H. et Kashiw.) are also proposed.

Three new genera Coppinsidea, Vandenboomia and Wolseleyidea are described and the genera Ivanpisutia, Lecaniella and Myrionora are resurrected on the basis of a phylogenetic analysis of multi-locus sequence data of the Ramalinaceae including the nuclear protein-coding marker rpb2, the internal transcribed spacer and a fragment of the small mitochondrial subunit. The genus Hertelidea was positioned within the Ramalina clade of the phylogenetic tree of the Ramalinaceae. Bacidia sipmanii, Phyllopsora chlorophaea, P. castaneocincta and Ramalina subbreviuscula were recorded from South Korea for the first time here confirming by molecular data, too. Forty-eight new combinations are proposed: Bacidia alnetorum (basionym: Biatora alnetorum S. Ekman et Tønsberg), Biatora amazonica (basionym: Phyllopsora amazonica Kistenich et Timdal), Biatora cuyabensis (basionym: Lecidea cuyabensis Malme), Biatora halei (basionym: Pannaria halei Tuck.), Biatora kalbii (basionym: Phyllopsora kalbii Brako), Biatora subhispidula (basionym: Psoroma subhispidulum Nyl.), Coppinsidea alba (basionym: Catillaria alba Coppins et Vězda), Coppinsidea aphana (basionym: Lecidea aphana Nyl.), Coppinsidea croatica (basionym: Catillaria croatica Zahlbr.), Coppinsidea fuscoviridis (basionym: Bilimbia fuscoviridis Anzi), Coppinsidea pallens (basionym: Bilimbia pallens Kullh.), Coppinsidea ropalosporoides (basionym: Gyalidea ropalosporoides S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur), Coppinsidea scotinodes (basionym: Lecidea scotinodes Nyl.), Coppinsidea sphaerella (basionym: Lecidea sphaerella Hedl.), Ivanpisutia hypophaea (basionym: Biatora hypophaea Printzen et Tønsberg), Ivanpisutia ocelliformis (basionym: Lecidea ocelliformis Nyl.), Lecaniella belgica (basionym: Lecania belgica van den Boom et Reese Naesb.), Lecaniella cyrtellina (basionym: Lecanora cyrtellina Nyl.), Lecaniella dubitans (basionym: Lecidea dubitans Nyl.), Lecaniella erysibe (basionym: Lichen erysibe Ach.), Lecaniella hutchinsiae (basionym: Lecanora hutchinsiae Nyl.), Lecaniella naegelii (basionym: Biatora naegelii Hepp), Lecaniella prasinoides (basionym: Lecania prasinoides Elenkin), Lecaniella sylvestris (basionym: Biatora sylvestris Arnold), Lecaniella tenera (basionym: Scoliciosporum tenerum Lönnr.), Mycobilimbia albohyalina (basionym: Lecidea anomala f. albohyalina Nyl.), Mycobilimbia cinchonarum (basionym: Triclinum cinchonarum Fée), Mycobilimbia concinna (basionym: Phyllopsora concinna Kistenich et Timdal), Mycobilimbia ramea (basionym: Bacidina ramea S. Ekman), Mycobilimbia siamensis (basionym: Phyllopsora siamensis Kistenich et Timdal), Myrionora australis (basionym: Biatora australis Rodr. Flakus et Printzen), Myrionora ementiens (basionym: Lecidea ementiens Nyl.), Myrionora flavopunctata (basionym: Lecanora flavopunctata Tønsberg), Myrionora globulosa (basionym: Lecidea globulosa Flörke), Myrionora hemipolia (basionym: Lecidea arceutina f. hemipolia Nyl.), Myrionora lignimollis (basionym: Biatora ligni-mollis T. Sprib. et Printzen), Myrionora malcolmii (basionym: Phyllopsora malcolmii Vězda et Kalb), Myrionora vacciniicola (basionym: Lecidea vacciniicola Tønsberg), Phyllopsora agonimioides (basionym: Coenogonium agonimioides J. P. Halda, S.-O. Oh et J.-S. Hur), Phyllopsora sunchonensis (basionym: Agonimia sunchonensis S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur), Vandenboomia chlorotiza (basionym: Lecidea chlorotiza Nyl.), Vandenboomia falcata (basionym: Lecania falcata van den Boom, M. Brand, Coppins, Magain et Sérus.), Wolseleyidea africana (basionym: Phyllopsora africana Timdal et Krog), Wolseleyidea byssiseda (basionym: Lecidea byssiseda Nyl. ex Hue), Wolseleyidea canoumbrina (basionym: Lecidea canoumbrina Vain.), Wolseleyidea furfurella (basionym: Phyllopsora furfurella Kistenich et Timdal), Wolseleyidea ochroxantha (basionym: Lecidea ochroxantha Nyl.), and Wolseleyidea swinscowii (basionym: Phyllopsora swinscowii Timdal et Krog). The combination Biatora longispora (Degel.) Lendemer et Printzen is validated here. The new names Biatora vezdana for Lecania furfuracea Vĕzda and Coppinsidea vainioana for Lecidea sphaeroidiza Vain. are proposed. The phenomenon of presence of ‘extraneous mycobiont DNA’ in lichen association, i.e. DNA, belonging neither to mycobiont nor photobiont or to endophytic fungi is for the first time illustrated. So the presence of nrITS and mtSSU sequences of crustose lichen Coppinsidea ropalosporoides in thalli of crustose Verrucaria margacea and foliose Kashiwadia orientalis , as well as nrITS of Phyllopsora sp. KoLRI in Agonimia pacifica and Biatora longispora , or nrITS and mtSSU of Biatora longispora in thalli of Agonimia pacifica, Oxneriopsis oxneri and Pyxine limbulata, Ivanpisutia oxneri in thalli of Rinodina xanthophaea , etc. is documented. Scarce cases of presence of ‘extraneous mycobiont DNA’ in representatives of the Teloschistaceae, Physciaceae known from literature data are discussed, too.

The new for science genus Loekoeslaszloa S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, confirmed by three gene phylogeny of the subfamily Teloschistoideae of the Teloschistaceae based on nrITS, nrLSU and mtSSU sequences, and ten new to science species from Eastern Asia, i.e. from South Korea: Bacidina loekoesiana S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, Fauriea jejuensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Gyalecta ulleungdoensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Loekoeslaszloa huriana S. Y. Kondr., Orientophila dodongana S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, O. imjadoensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, O. incheonensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Oxneriopsis taehaensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, Yoshimuria ivanpisutiana S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur and Y. seokpoensis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur are described, illustrated and compared with closely related taxa. Molecular data for the recently described species Flavoplaca laszloana are for the first time provided. Position of Tassiloa magellanica in the subfamily Teloschistoideae as well as Yoshimuria stipitata in the Ikaerioideae ad int. is for the first time illustrated. An identification key to Fauriea species (including six species, i.e.: F. chujaensis, F. jejuensis, F. orientochinensis, F. patwolseleyae, F. tabidella and F. yonaguniensis ), a key to Orientophila species of the Eastern Asian region (of the Orientophila loekoesii and the O. diffluens groups), and a key to Yoshimuria and Loekoeslaszloa species of the Eastern Asian region (including four species, i.e.: Y. galbina, Y. ivanpisutiana, Y. seokpoensis , and Y. spodoplaca , as well as Loekoeslaszloa geumohdoensis and L. huriana ) are presented. Seven new combinations, i.e. Fauriea patwolseleyae (basionym: Caloplaca patwolseleyae S. Y. Kondr., U. Jayalal et J.-S. Hur), Fauriea tabidella (basionym: Lecanora tabidella Nyl.), Loekoeslaszloa geumohdoensis (basionym: Mikhtomia geumohdoensis S. Y. Kondr., D. Liu et Hur), Niesslia coarctatae (basionym: Stigmidium coarctatae S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur), Opeltia epiphyta (basionym: Caloplaca epiphyta Lynge), Tassiloa magellanica (basionym: Caloplaca magellanica Søchting et Sancho) and Yoshimuria stipitata (basionym: Caloplaca stipitata Wetmore) are proposed. Yoshimuria galbina and Lecanora ussuriensis are for the first time recorded from Japan.

Vascular plant observances were compiled for 10 well-documented parishes in Scania, southernmost Sweden, from published floras, herbarium specimens, modern inventories, and a large citizen-science database to provide decade-level presence/absence data of species throughout the period 1800–2020. Species-specific plant traits and ecological indicator values were then used to examine functional and ecological changes based on the species composition, as well as the performance of particular vegetation types. The results were generally congruent among the 10 parishes, and indicate that several of the most important drivers of recent floristic changes, including climate changes, woody encroachment, and soil chemistry alterations have in fact acted continuously and concerted for more than a century. Floristic composition has shifted in favor of species with an affinity to higher N and P levels, as well as species which are generally more long-lived and competitive. Additionally, species less favored by grazing/mowing, and with lower demand for sunlight and moisture have increased. However, several of these trends appear to have accelerated over the past 50 years, and so has the increase of the proportion of alien invasive species in the flora. Species favored by climatic warming have also increased, at least since the 1970’s. The flora of different parts of the province has become more homogenous over time, indicating a loss of biodiversity at the regional, but not at the local scale. Instead, analyses of the biodiversity relevance, associated non-plant species and ecosystem services such as nectar production provided by the flora, suggest that local biodiversity is likely to have increased. The study demonstrates that even highly fragmented data, if compiled from a multitude of sources spanning centuries, may reveal congruent temporal changes in both biodiversity, ecosystem functions and ecological drivers and provide a historic context for monitoring recent and future changes.

Herbivores drive shifts in plant species composition by interacting with vegetation through defoliation, trampling and nutrient addition: urine and faeces. As herbivore effects on vegetation accumulate over time, they might spillover to other trophic levels, but how and when this happens is poorly understood. Since it is methodologically demanding to measure biodiversity across spatial gradients, an alternative approach is to assess it through biodiversity indices of vascular plants. We employed the Index of biodiversity relevance developed for Swedish flora which provides an estimated number of organisms associated with a plant species, allowing the quantification of trophic community size. Values from this index were coupled with vegetation data from a network of 96 fenced and paired grazed plots across Fennoscandia. We analysed the role herbivory has on plant richness and diversity, and on the number of organisms that interact with the vegetation according to the index values. We also explored how herbivores influence the competitive effects of tall shrubs on other plants since the dominance of a vegetation type links directly to biodiversity. Plant diversity had no clear response to grazing. Overall vegetation and the vegetation subgroups herbs and non‐fruit shrubs had higher biodiversity index values in fenced plots, indicating a higher number of plant–host interactions. Herb cover was negatively related to shrubs in both treatments but with a faster decline in the absence of herbivores. This study highlights the importance of maintaining herbivore populations in the Arctic to conserve the vegetation structure and biodiversity of the tundra. This method of coupling biodiversity indexes with vegetation data provides complementary information to the plant diversity, especially when methodological or time constraints prevent complete field inventories.

Dogs exhibit an exceptional range of morphological diversity as a result of their long-term association with humans. Attempts to identify when dog morphological variation began to expand have been constrained by the limited number of Pleistocene specimens, the fragmentary nature of remains, and difficulties in distinguishing early dogs from wolves on the basis of skeletal morphology. In this study, we used three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to analyze the size and shape of 643 canid crania spanning the past 50,000 years. Our analyses show that a distinctive dog morphology first appeared at about 11,000 calibrated years before present, and substantial phenotypic diversity already existed in early Holocene dogs. Thus, this variation emerged many millennia before the intense human-mediated selection shaping modern dog breeds beginning in the 19th century.

Two new genera in the subfamily Teloschistoideae (Teloschistaceae, Teloschistales) are described: Hosseusiella S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et A. Thell for the Caloplaca chilensis group including three South American species and Rehmanniella S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur for the new species, R. wirthii S. Y. Kondr. from South Africa. The new genera are supported by a three-gene phylogeny based on ITS1/ITS2 nrDNA, 28S nrLSU, and 12S mtSSU sequences. The new taxonomic position of Elixjohnia ovis-atra in the subfamily Teloschistoideae is discussed. The two new species Hosseusiella gallowayiana and Rehmanniella wirthii are described, illustrated and compared with closely related taxa. Hosseusiella gallowayiana is recorded for the first time as the host for the lichenicolous fungus Arthonia tetraspora S. Y. Kondr. A key to the species of Hosseusiella is included, as well as new information of the related genus Follmannia . The following new combinations are proposed: Hosseusiella chilensis (Kärnefelt, S. Y. Kondr., Frödén et Arup) S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös, Kärnefelt et A. Thell, Hosseusiella pergracilis (Zahlbr.) S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös, Kärnefelt et A. Thell and Elixjohnia ovis-atra (Søchting, Søgaard et Sancho) S. Y. Kondr.

Seven species new to science are described, illustrated and compared with closely related taxa. Of them, one species, i.e.: Coppinsidea vernadskiensis S. Y. Kondr., T. O. Kondratiuk et I. Yu. Parnikoza is from the Argentine Islands, Western Maritime Antarctic Peninsula, Jacke lixia hosseussii S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur, from South America (Argentina and Uruguay), Loekoeslaszloa reducta Yoshik. Yamam. et S. Y. Kondr. from Eastern Asia (Japan), Orientophila viticola S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur from Eastern Asia (South Korea), Ovealmbornia ovei S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös, I. Kärnefelt et A. Thell, and Xanthokarrooa elsiae S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös, I. Kärnefelt et A. Thell from Africa, as well as Oxneria imshaugii S. Y. Kondr. from North America. The new combination Jackelixia australis (for Xanthoria parietina var. australis Zahlbr.) is proposed. Jackelixia hosseussii is for the first time recorded as host for the lichenicolous fungus Arthonia anjutii S. Y. Kondr. et Alstrup. The latter species is for the first time recorded from South America. Intralichen christiansenii (D. Hawksw.) D. Hawksw. et Cole is for the first time recorded from South Korea.

Seven genera new to science, i.e.: Helmutiopsis, Huriopsis, Johnsheardia, Klauskalbia, Kudratovia, Kurokawia and Poeltonia of the Physciaceae are proposed for the ‘Rinodina’ atrocinerea, the ‘Rinodina’ xanthophaea, the ‘Rinodina’ cinnamomea, the ‘Heterodermia’ obscurata, the ‘Rinodina’ straussii, the ‘Anaptychia’ isidiata and the ‘Physconia’ grisea groups consequently that all form strongly supported monophyletic branches in a phylogeny analysis based on a combined matrix of nrITS and mtSSU sequences. Phylogenetic positions of species belonging to the genera Kashiwadia s. l., Leucodermia, Mischoblastia,Oxnerella, Phaeorrhiza s. l., Polyblastidium and Rinodinella s. l. are discussed. Oxnerella afghanica which for the first time recorded as parasitic lichen species from both epiphytic and saxicolous crustose lichens is designated as type species for the genus Oxnerella . Sequences of the recently described Physcia orientostellaris as well as Huriopsis xanthophaea and additional sequences of Kashiwadia aff. orientalis and Mischoblastia aff. oxydata are submitted to the GenBank. The positions of Polyblastidium casaterrinum from Costa Rica, ‘ Rinodina ’ efflorescens from Białowieża, Poland, and ‘ Mischoblastia ’ confragosula from Cambodia in the Physciaceae are confirmed in a phylogeny analysis based on the nrITS sequences. The presence of ‘extraneous mycobiont DNA’ in lichen associations is exemplified with earlier incorrect identifications of Heterodermia, Kashiwadia, Kurokawia,Oxnerella and Poeltonia specimens. Fifty-six new combinations are presented: Helmutiopsis alba (for Rinodina alba Metzler ex Arn.), Helmutiopsis aspersa (for Lecanora aspersa Borrer), Helmutiopsis atrocinerea (for Parmelia atrocinerea Fr.), Huriopsis chrysidiata (for Rinodina chrysidiata Sheard), Huriopsis chrysomelaena (for Rinodina chrysomelaena Tuck.), Huriopsis lepida (for Lecanora lepida Nyl.), Huriopsis luteonigra (for Rinodina luteonigra Zahlbr.), Huriopsis plana (for Rinodina plana H. Magn.), Huriopsis thiomela (for Lecanora thiomela Nyl.), Huriopsis xanthomelana (for Rinodina xanthomelana Müll. Arg.), Huriopsis xanthophaea (for Lecanora xanthophaea Nyl.), Johnsheardia cinnamomea (for Rinodina mniaroea var. cinnamomea Th. Fr.), Johnsheardia herteliana (for Rinodina herteliana Kaschik), Johnsheardia jamesii (for Rinodina jamesii H. Mayrhofer), Johnsheardia reagens (for Rinodina reagens Matzer et H. Mayrhofer), Johnsheardia zwackhiana (for Lecanora zwackhiana Kremp.), Kashiwadia austrostellaris (for Physcia austrostellaris Elix), Kashiwadia jackii (for Physcia jackii Moberg), Kashiwadia littoralis for Physcia littoralis Elix), Kashiwadia nubila (for Physcia nubila Moberg), and Kashiwadia tropica (for Physcia tropica Elix), Klauskalbia crocea (for Heterodermia crocea R. C. Harris), Klauskalbia flabellata (for Parmelia flabellata Fée), Klauskalbia obscurata (for Physcia speciosa (Wulfen) Nyl. *obscurata Nyl.), Klauskalbia paradoxa (for Heterodermia paradoxa Schumm et Schäfer-Verwimp), Kudratovia bohlinii (for Rinodina bohlinii H. Magn.), Kudratovia candidogrisea (for Rinodina candidogrisea Hafellner, Muggia et Obermayer), Kudratovia luridata (for Buellia luridata Körb.), Kudratovia metaboliza (for Rinodina metaboliza Vain.), Kudratovia pycnocarpa (for Rinodina pycnocarpa H. Magn.), Kudratovia roscida (for Lecanora roscida Sommerf.), Kudratovia straussii (for Rinodina straussii J. Steiner), Kudratovia terrestris (for Rinodina terrestris Tomin), Kurokawia bryorum (for Anaptychia bryorum Poelt), Kurokawia isidiata (for Anaptychia isidiata Tomin), Kurokawia mereschkowskii (for Physcia mereschkowskii Tomin), Kurokawia palmulata (for Psoroma palmulatum Michx.), Kurokawia runcinata (for Lichen runcinatus With.), Kurokawia stippea (for Parmelia aquila var. stippea Ach.), Lecania safavidiorum (for Oxnerella safavidiorum S. Y. Kondr., Zarei-Darki, Lőkös et Hur), Leucodermia erinacea (for Lichen erinaceus Ach.), Mischoblastia confragosula (for Lecanora confragosula Nyl.), Mischoblastia destituta (for Lecidea destituta Nyl.), Mischoblastia moziana (for Lecanora moziana Nyl.), Mischoblastia moziana subsp. parasitica (comb. et stat. nova for Rinodina moziana var. parasitica Kaschik et H. Mayrhofer), Mischoblastia ramboldii (for Rinodina ramboldii Kaschik), Mischoblastia vezdae (for Rinodina vezdae H. Mayrhofer), Oxnerella afghanica (for Rinodina afghanica M. Steiner et Poelt), Oxnerella castanomelodes (for Rinodina castanomelodes H. Mayrhofer et Poelt), Physciella nigricans (for Lecanora nigricans Flörke), Poeltonia elegantula (for Physconia elegantula Essl.), Poeltonia grisea (for Lichen griseus Lam.), Poeltonia isidiomuscigena (for Physconia isidiomuscigena Essl.), Poeltonia perisidiosa (for Physcia perisidiosa Erichsen), Poeltonia venusta (for Parmelia venusta Ach.), and Polyblastidium albicans (for Parmelia albicans Pers.) are proposed.

The genera Coppinsiella and Seawardiella are described based on the combined phylogenetic analysis from ITS nrDNA, 28S nrLSU and 12S mtSSU sequences. The affinities of the new genera Orientophila , Athallia , Flavoplaca and Calogaya are discussed. The former Caloplaca lobulata group (or ‘Xanthoria lobulata -Gruppe’ sensu Steiner et Poelt 1982) found to be positioned in the Calogaya clade based on ITS phylogeny while after a three gene phylogeny (based on ITS nrDNA, nrLSU and mtSSU sequences) two species (i.e.: Seawardiella lobulata and described as new S. tasmaniensis ) were located in the Seawardiella clade of the Xanthorioideae. Three other species (i.e. L azarenkoella zoroasteriorum , L. persica and L. polycarpoides ) were positioned in the Lazarenkoella -clade of the Brownlielloideae. The position of all species of the Calogaya clade (after ITS phylogeny) should be re-evaluated based on three gene phylogeny from ITS nrDNA, nrLSU and mtSSU sequences. The new species Seawardiella tasmaniensis is described, illustrated and compared with closely related taxa. New combinations are suggested for eight taxa (i.e. Athallia inconnexa (for Lecanora inconnexa Nyl.), Calogaya safavidiorum (for Caloplaca safavidiorum S. Y. Kondr., in Kondratyuk et al.), Coppinsiella orbicularis stat. et comb. nov. (for Caloplaca substerilis subsp. orbicularis M. Haji Moniri, Vondrák et Malíček), Coppinsiella substerilis (for Caloplaca substerilis Vondrák, Palice et van den Boom, in Vondrák et al.), Coppinsiella ulcerosa (for Caloplaca ulcerosa Coppins et P. James), Lazarenkoella persica (for Xanthoria polycarpoides var. persica J. Steiner); Lazarenkoella polycarpoides (for Xanthoria polycarpoides J. Steiner), and Seawardiella lobulata (for Lecanora lobulata Flörke)).

Abstract The field of molecular phylogenetics is being revolutionised with next-generation sequencing technologies making it possible to sequence large numbers of genomes for non-model organisms ushering us into the era of phylogenomics. The current challenge is no longer how to get enough data, but rather how to analyse the data and how to assess the support for the inferred phylogeny. We focus on one of the largest animal groups on the planet – butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera). We clearly demonstrate that there are unresolved issues in the inferred phylogenetic relationships of the major lineages, despite several recent phylogenomic studies of the group. We assess the potential causes and consequences of the conflicting phylogenetic hypotheses. With a dataset consisting of 331 protein-coding genes and the alignment length over 290 000 base pairs, including 200 taxa representing 81% of lepidopteran superfamilies, we compare phylogenetic hypotheses inferred from amino acid and nucleotide alignments. The resulting two phylogenies are discordant, especially with respect to the placement of the superfamily Gelechioidea, which is likely due to compositional bias of both the nucleotide and amino acid sequences. With a series of analyses, we dissect our dataset and demonstrate that there is sufficient phylogenetic signal to resolve much of the lepidopteran tree of life. Overall, the results from the nucleotide alignment are more robust to the various perturbations of the data that we carried out. However, the lack of support for much of the backbone within Ditrysia makes the current butterfly and moth tree of life still unresolved. We conclude that taxon sampling remains an issue even in phylogenomic analyses, and recommend that poorly sampled highly diverse groups, such as Gelechioidea in Lepidoptera, should receive extra attention in the future.