Epiphytic lichens on Juniperus flaccida Schltdl. (Cupressaceae) - important component of the temperate forest from Oaxaca, Mexico

The study of the epiphytic lichen community on Juniperus flaccida, an endemic species from Mexico, is investigated. We analyzed the influence of diameter at breast height (DBH) in the lichen community richness. Phorophytes selected was clasify in seven diametric classes. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the diametric classes with the lichen richness. Species composition were using to clasified the diametric classes with the Two Way Cluster Analysis. We calculated the alfa, beta and, gamma diversity. Fortynine species were collected around to J. flaccida. A total of 65 species of corticolous lichens were collected on J. flaccida. 59 were new records to J. flaccida, while six are new records for Oaxaca (Caloplaca ferruginea, Dermatocarpon americanum, Lecanora albella, Lecanora helva, Ochrolechia mexicana y Parmotrema neotropicum) and, three are new records to Mexico (Diploschistes scruposus, Traponora varians y Chaenotheca trichialis). Nevertheless that J. flaccida is found in patches immersed in the pine, oak and pine-oak forest, it is a phorophyte that has allowed the maintenance of the lichen community spite of the fragmentation of the forest.