Forest naturalness evaluation through lichens

Dierckx, Fabien;Agnan, Yannick
(2026) ELI-V Symposium : Ecology & Evolution in the Anthropocene — Location: Louvain-la-Neuve (29.April.2026)

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(en) High-naturalness European forests are key ecosystems for the preservation of forest biodiversity. The use of naturalness indicators helps to guide forest management and conservation strategies. The current methods, however, tend to oversimplify or even overlook biodiversity. Thus, bioindicators, such as epiphytic lichens, are gaining importance as a complementary integrative approach. This approach provides a tool for the scientific community to objectively asses forest condition as well as allowing the forest managers to evaluate their practices’ impacts. Nevertheless, isolating the influence of naturalness on epiphytic lichen distribution remains a challenge because of the simultaneous influence of other environmental variables. This PhD project aims to improve the quantification of forest naturalness based on the bioindication provided by epiphytic lichens. Firstly, a European-scale review and meta-analysis based on existing literature data will compare sampling protocols, identify the variables shaping lichen distribution while isolating those characterising naturalness, and compile potential indicator species. Secondly, the focus will shift to Walloon forests in order to refine the analysis and asses the influence of local, finer-scale environmental variables using both existing and newly collected data. Eventually, a forest naturalness index will be developed through the selection of indicator species while accounting for the role of environmental variables. Once validated in the field, this tool will be available to lichenologists and simplified for use by forest managers, to evaluate their management practices and pinpoint potential improvements.
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Dierckx, F., & Agnan, Y. (2026). Forest naturalness evaluation through lichens. ELI-V Symposium : Ecology & Evolution in the Anthropocene, Louvain-la-Neuve. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/275878