A study records over 20 lichen species at Kochi’s Subhash Chandra Bose Park

 The Subhash Chandra Bose Park, 1 of Kochi’s cardinal greenish spaces, sprawling crossed 11.5-acres, is simply a lichen hotspot. A caller survey carried retired by the Nature Club and Department of Botany of Maharaja’s College on with the Bhoomitrasena Club of Sree Sankara College, Kalady, recorded implicit 20 taxon of lichens astatine the park. 

The study, done arsenic portion of a biodiversity documentation exercise, recorded lichens increasing connected the bark of respective histrion species. A analyzable organism formed from a symbiotic narration betwixt a fungus an algae oregon cyanobacterium, lichens are often mistaken for fungi. They sometimes look arsenic mold and are easy overlooked.

Biomonitoring agents

But lichens play a captious relation arsenic biomonitoring agents. Owing to their sensitivity to aerial contamination and their capableness for c sequestration, they enactment arsenic aerial prime indicators, says Stephen Sequeira, subordinate prof of Botany, Maharaja’s College, and a specializer successful lichen taxonomy and ecology, nether whose guidance the survey was conducted. 

“No ceremonial lichen survey has been done wrong metropolis limits. This survey revealed a wealthiness of lichen maturation and this highlights the ecological value of the area. After Managalavanam, which is considered Kochi’s greenish lung, Subhash Park, with its abundance of indigenous trees, tin surely beryllium considered an important municipality oasis,” says Stephen. The survey besides provides invaluable baseline information for aboriginal biology monitoring and biodiversity conservation initiatives, helium adds.

The lichen genera documented during the survey includes Pyxine cocoes, Dirinaria, Porina, Graphis, Arthonia, Cryptothecia, Pyrenula, Lepraria, Pertusaria, Sarcographa Diorygma, Candelaria, Felhaneria, etc. These lichens were observed connected trees specified arsenic Roystonea regia, Bougainvillea, Crescentia cujete, Wodyetia bifurcata (foxtail palm), Saraca asoca, Ficus benjamina, Mimusops elengi, Mangifera indica, Ficus religiosa, Ficus benjamina, Phyllanthus emblica, Bauhinia variegata, Swietenia macrophylla, Terminalia arjuna, Peltophorum, Pongamia glabra, Artocarpus, Polyalthia longifolia, Araucaria, Thuja and Livistona. 

The survey squad included Arun Christy, a probe student moving nether Stephen, students and members of the Nature clubs and module members of the Department of Botany — Mathew Steephan, Jess Mary James, Shanti Vasudevan, Benoy Thomas, and Ajith Kumar. 

This survey is lone a preliminary survey based connected archetypal observations. More lichen taxon could beryllium identified from the country if a elaborate lichenological survey is conducted, says Stephen, adding that akin surveys volition beryllium carried retired successful different parts of the metropolis arsenic well. 

The programme was carried retired with the support of the Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-HED), the probe and improvement helping of the Kochi Municipal Corporation.