Antarctica’s severe climate and restricted area of ice-free habitats limit the biodiversity and biota of its terrestrial ecosystems. Throughout much of this wilderness, lichens are the predominant visible life form, yet relatively few descriptive accounts of Antarctic lichens have been published. Research on these enigmatic organisms is increasing rapidly and there is a growing need for a comprehensive guide to the identification of Antarctic lichen-forming fungi. This volume provides the first modern detailed compilation of their taxonomy, ecology, distribution and relevant published literature. As such, it represents a major contribution to global lichen taxonomy and biogeography. The systematic accounts provide sufficient descriptive information to allow specialists to identify taxa to species level, and are structured so that even non-specialists can use them to identify specimens to at least the generic level.
• The first comprehensive taxonomic account of Antarctic lichens • Compiled with reference to Antarctic lichen collections in major world herbaria • Presents accessible accounts of the ecology, distribution and published literature for each species
Contents
Preface; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Environment and lichen ecology of Antarctica and South Georgia; Materials and methods; Artificial keys to the genera; Systematic and ecological accounts of the genera and species; References; Glossary; Index of taxa.
Reviews
‘The publication of an account of Antarctic lichens is long overdue … Lichens are the most abundant and diverse macro photoautotrophs in the region … the authors of the new book have brought together complementary, and probably unique, expertise in Antarctic lichenology to produce a benchmark volume … a major contribution both to lichenology and to Antarctic science … lichenologists will want to own this volume as a taxonomic and biogeographical reference work’ P. Crittenden, Antarctic Science
‘ … undoubtedly a landmark in the development of our knowledge of Artarctic lichens. … the authors carry out an excellent bibliographical review.’ Mycotaxon
' … a most welcome identification … an absolute must for the polar lichenologist.' The Naturalist
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