Differences in diversity of corticolous lichens between interior and edge of the Monte Barranca semi-deciduous forest, Santiago de Cuba

The epiphytic lichen flora in the semi-deciduous forest of Monte Barranca, Santiago de Cuba differs between the edge and interior due to differences in light levels. Four transects of 50 m were establish: two on the edge and two on the interior. Sixty randomly-chosen trees were surveyed, fifteen trees in each transect. The trees were sampled from the ground to two meters in height. Seventy-four corticolous lichen species were recorded, including 51 newly recorded for Cuba. Reproductive strategies were as varied for those lichens on the edge of the forest as for those in the interior, but most of the species were reproducing sexually. Porina distans, a generalist species, is highly adapted to the Monte Barranca semi-deciduous forest.