Water holding capacity, thallus anatomy and photosynthetic performance in Lobaria pulmonaria from retained-forest patches and isolated-trees

Oak-dominated forests are important habitats for Lobaria Pulmonaria populations in the Mediterranean area, where this indicator species is threatened by intensive forest management, habitat fragmentation and climate change. Retention forestry represents a suitable option to conserve the structural, functional and compositional diversity of forest ecosystems. To test this statement, photosynthetic performances, thallus anatomy and water holding capacity (WHC) in thalli of L. pulmonaria were investigated in a logged mixed oak forest (Tuscany, Italy), comparing individuals from retained-forest patches and retained-isolated trees, 18 months after logging.