Soil Surface Lichens in Arid and Subarid South-Eastern Australia. III. The Relationship Between Distribution and Environment

From a consideration of the distribution of species and species groups in relation to soil and climatic factors, it is shown that mean annual rainfall and mean maximum January temperature largely explain the distribution pattern of arid zone soil surface lichens. A past distribution of lichen crusts in southern Australia is postulated on the basis of factors controlling lichen crust development, and known variations from this pattern explained in terms of stocking history.