State of the population (Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm.) in the plant communities of the Petrozavodsk city district

An observation of the protected Lobaria pulmonaria lichen population in the plant communities of the Petrozavodsk city district was accomplished by using a route method. Characteristics of the community, trees and microenvironment’s parameters were registered in the habitat of these species. The total area, the necrosis area (cm 2), and the belonging to a functional age group were marked for each lichen thallus. The data analysis is based on the descriptions of 196 lichen thalli growing on 87 trees. It was established that Lobaria pulmonaria is most often found in fresh bilberry spruce forests (91 percent) where it inhabits mainly trunks of the living aspens (Populus tremula). The area of Lobaria pulmonary thalli varies from 3,1 cm 2 to 975 cm 2, what makes an average area of 87,7 ± 8,5 cm 2. The species population in the plant communities of the Petrozavodsk city district is not fully-membered, as there are no fertile species. 30 percent of the population’s functional age spectrum is presented by the subsenile and senile species.