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Description
By stabilizing populations of lichen species in the project localities, we want to support the invasive potential for their spread in the surrounding urban or agricultural landscape.The means to support the populations of these species is to ensure the long-term existence of fruit trees, the desired structure of the tree layer and a suitable herb layer.The goal of the project is to support the population of already identified species of lichens within the habitat of grassed fruit plantations and at the same time to create conditions for colonization by other species for which grassy orchards are a suitable habitat. These species of lichens also represent flag species for a comprehensive solution for localities in terms of supporting the general biodiversity of agricultural and urban landscape.
A side effect of the project is the support of other species in the given localities. In the case of lichens, it is about 10 other species, which are included in the lower categories of the red list. Furthermore, there are various species of vertebrates and invertebrates that use this habitat as part of their environment.
Summary of project results
In the project, we focused on supporting 11 endangered lichen species from the Red List of Lichens of the Czech Republic. Lichens are a taxonomically difficult group of species to grasp, which is why it took a long time to compile their Red List. At the same time, very few projects have been implemented to support them. The aim of our project was to support populations of already identified lichen species within the habitat of grassy orchards, while creating conditions for colonization by other species for which grassy orchards are a suitable habitat.
We supported the endangered lichen species with a series of practical measures at seven selected sites (fruit plantations). We carried out fruit tree pruning, we planted over 100 fruit trees, and provided aftercare to these trees, which included tree watering, trunk care and irrigation bowl. We also maintained the sites by hand mowing the grasses and other activities such as repairing the protective structures of young trees, detailing the immediate surroundings of the trees, removing isolated unwanted trees, etc. The practical measures implemented at the sites are based on the basic requirements of the target species. They aim at a long-term and stable condition of fruit plantations as habitats for epiphytic lichens.
The main impact of the project is the stabilization and maintenance of 11 endangered Red List species of epiphytic lichens in 7 selected sites of fruit plantations. However, the measures have also helped other lichen species, appropriate maintenance of the herbaceous understorey and other wildlife on these sites, which are not the target group of the project, but the measures also benefit them. The consequence of the project implementation is a comprehensive functionality of extensive fruit planting for stabilization and maintenance of lichen diversity in agricultural landscapes.