Comparative Diversity of Epiphytic Lichens on Betula and Populus Trees in Mixed Forests of the Katarkol Region, Northern Kazakhstan

The present study investigated epiphytic lichen species growing on the trunks of birch (Betula spp.) and poplar (Populus spp.) trees in the pine forests of the Katarkol area, located outside the territory of Burabay National Park. The research involved the collection and preservation of lichen specimens, species identification using taxonomic keys, and the assessment of their abundance, projective cover, and frequency of occurrence. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to examine the morphology and distribution of reproductive and vegetative structures, including apothecia, perithecia, soredia, and isidia, in the collected lichen specimens. Quantitative assessment of epiphytic lichen communities on birch and poplar trunks was conducted using the quadrat-grid method. Twenty-five randomly selected individuals of each tree species were examined, and lichen abundance was recorded at four standardized height levels: 60, 90, 120, and 150 cm above ground level. At each height level, a 20×20 cm quadrat was used to record the lichen species present and their projective cover. The ecological characteristics, life forms, and frequency of occurrence of the recorded lichen species were determined using the Drude scale. In addition, the ecological and biological characteristics of epiphytic lichen species inhabiting birch and poplar trunks were analyzed and compared.