Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Environment
Why in News?
Researchers have discovered a new lichen species named Buellia maharajensis in Mathikettan Shola National Park, located in the Idukki district of Kerala.
- Family - Belongs to the family Caliciaceae and the genus Buellia.
- It is a saxicolous lichen, meaning it grows exclusively anchored directly onto rock surfaces.
- Ecological Role- Like other lichens, it represents a composite, symbiotic partnership between a fungus (mycobiont) and a photosynthetic algal or cyanobacterial partner (photobiont).
- Etymology - Named "maharajensis" in honor of Maharaja's College, Ernakulam.
- It recognizes the institution's 150th anniversary and its historical contributions to botanical research in the region.
- Discovery Site - Uncovered within Mathikettan Shola National Park in the high ranges of Idukki district, Kerala (Western Ghats).
- Elevation - Recorded growing at an elevation of around 1,351 meters above sea level in montane wet grassland/rocky outcrop micro-habitats.
- Local Biodiversity Milestone - Represents the 4th new lichen species to science discovered from Mathikettan Shola National Park.
- Environmental Indicators - Lichens lack root systems and absorb water and nutrients directly from the air, making them exceptional bio-indicators of
- Air quality,
- Atmospheric pollution, and
- Microclimatic stability in delicate Shola-grassland ecosystems.
- Along with the new discovery, the same survey reported Buellia hemisphaerica and Buellia nilgiriensis as new species records for the state of Kerala.
Reference
The Hindu | New lichen species
