Investigation of the effects of anthropogenic activities onthe epiphytic lichen diversity in Sarialan and Kirazliyaylapicnic areas in Iludağ National Park

In this study, how it affects the epiphytic lichen diversity and species composition on the trunk of Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach. subsp. bornmuelleriana (Uludağ Fir) in Kirazlıyayla and Sarıalan picnic areas in Uludağ National Park has been evaluated. A total of 74 species were found on the trunk of Abies trees. A total of 58 species have been identified from Kirazlıyayla. Of these, 16 are only in the control area, 25 are only in the picnic area, and 17 are in both the control and picnic areas. A total of 57 species were found in Sarıalan. Of these, 24 were only in the control area, 12 only in the picnic area, and 21 in both the control and picnic areas. There is a 76% positive correlation between the frequency and cover values of epiphytic lichen species detected in Kirazlıyayla (R2 = 0.756) and Sarıalan picnic areas (R2 = 0.762) in Uludağ National Park. The diversity of epiphytic lichen in Uludağ National Park has been found to differ significantly between control and picnic areas. Indicator species of the control area in both Kirazlıyayla and Sarıalan are Bryoria capillaris, Bryoria fuscescens, Evernia prunastri, Hypogymnia tubulosa, Lecanora intumescens, Parmelia sulcata, Phlyctis argena, Pseudevernia furfuracea, Ramalina farinacea, Rinodina capensis, Usnea filipendula and U. glabenscens. Indicator species for the picnic area are Candelariella xanthostigma, Lecanora cinereofusca, Lecidella elaeochroma and Melanohalea laciniatula. Relative humidity of the environment in Kirazlıyayla significantly decreases in the picnic area compared to the control area. In Sarıalan field, there is a positive relationship between the relative humidity of the environment and the Shannon diversity value (SD) with lichen diversity value (LDV), and a negative relationship with the amount of light. The positive relationship between relative humidity and lichen diversity indicates that relative humidity is an extremely important effect on epiphytic lichen development. From these results, we can say that the relative humidity and the amount of light are two important environmental factors in shaping the epiphytic lichen diversity.