Freshwater lichens and habitat zonation of mountain streams

•We investigated aquatic and semi-aquatic lichens associated with mountain streams.•The second multivariate analysis of freshwater lichen community data in Europe is provided.•Diversity and small-scale distribution patterns of lichens were driven by duration of contact with water (hydrological zones).

Freshwater lichens of selected Carpathian streams were investigated to identify their diversity and distribution patterns. Lichens were investigated along six transects, each running across three different habitats (hydrological zones: submerged, splash and riparian), established in upper, middle and lower reaches of the streams and the data were a subject to statistical analyses. The studied mountain streams provided suitable habitats for a number of aquatic and semi-aquatic lichens and species richness in both streams was very similar. Overall, 52 species of lichens were identified from all sampling plots (γ diversity). Species number for a single plot (α diversity) ranged from 1 to 14 species and differences in species composition between the plots (β diversity) were high. Differences were mainly noted for typical terrestrial lichens occurring in riparian zones. The location along the stream reaches did not have a significant effect on species diversity and distribution. The hydrological zone appeared to be the most important predictor explaining the small-scale occurrence and diversity of lichens with species assembled into distinct, low-diversity communities in the transition from submerged to riparian habitats. The distinction among hydrological zones and their lichen biota were corroborated by nMDS analyses. The method of defined plots provides a way of recording baseline data for a particular river, which can be repeated (monitor) in the future.