The distribution of Platismatia wheeleri was determined using the USDA Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis plots in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California and was compared to that of P. glauca on the same set of plots. Platismatia glauca inhabits a broad climatic niche, living in areas with 34 to 325 frost-free days and moderate to high May through September precipitation (100–425 mm). Platismatia wheeleri inhabits an ecotone between forested, mountainous regions and drier regions with open canopies. These plots, with 225 to 300 frost-free days, are on the warm end of the P. glauca habitat. The co-occurrence of these species on several plots and overlapping climate niches suggest either historic separation of populations that now co-occur; sympatric speciation; or a more complex pattern within this widely-distributed, variable species.
How to translate text using browser tools
20 December 2021
A Niche For Platismatia Wheeleri
Daphne Stone,
Heather T. Root
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
Evansia
Vol. 38 • No. 4
Winter 2021
Vol. 38 • No. 4
Winter 2021
co-occurrence
forest inventory and analysis
habitat
Lichens
Pacific Northwest
Platismatia glauca