Transplantation of lichen thalli: a case study on Cetraria islandica for conservation and pharmaceutical purposes

• We investigated biomass growth of the transplanted Cetraria islandica.
• Differences between chemical compositions of the lichens thalli is examined.
• Artificial dispersal of thallus fragments increases lichens cover and biomass growth.
• The percentage cover and biomass growth depend on the initial lichens mass.
• The process of transplantation doesn't influence the chemical quality of lichen.

Changes in biomass growth and chemical composition of transplanted Cetraria islandica lichen thalli were investigated in a natural stand in the Bory Tucholskie region (northern Poland) over 3 yr. Transplants consisted of either 3.85 or 7.88 g fragments, 12.62 g clumps, or control plots where all vegetation and lichens were removed. The initial mass of C. islandica significantly influenced the percentage cover of investigated lichens at the study plots. At the last set of study measurements the highest cover, biomass accumulation (4×) and mean final mass (31.99 g m−2) of C. islandica were recorded at the study plots at which 7.77 g fragments were transplanted. Analysis showed that the content of the determined chemical compounds in each sample were similar. The potential influence of other species growing at the study area on the occurrence of C. islandica was also examined through monitoring species diversity in the cleared forest floor plots. Altogether 18 species of plants and lichens were recorded in study plots, and among most abundant species Dicranum polysetum and Pleurozium schreberi were observed. The mean percentage cover for C. islandica was 14.61 %.