(ANSA) - PESCARA, 13 FEB - Used since ancient times in the therapeutic and food fields, today they are recognized as important bioindicators, given their sensitivity to environmental alterations, and bioaccumulators, in the case of 'epiphytes': they are lichens, expression of a symbiotic association between a fungus and an alga, a union that ensures a particular resistance in terrestrial areas, even inhospitable.
In Italy about 2700 species are known, many of which are threatened with extinction.
A volume of the Maiella National Park is dedicated to lichens, edited by Juri Nascimbene, ValterDi Cecco and Luciano Di Martino, which "fills a gap in knowledge on the presence and distribution of species belonging to biological groups less investigated in the territory, in accordance with the Directives of the National Strategy for Biodiversity ".
The 'Guide to the lichens of the Maiella National Park', explains the director of the Park Luciano Di Martino, is aimed at those who, walking along the paths of the Park, "will stop and observe these curious forms of life which, colonizing both rocks and woody plants, a fundamental role both at the base of the ecological chain, as pioneers of plant settlement, and as precursors of pedogenesis ".
The publication is the result of a research coordinated by Professor Nascimbene of the University of Bologna and is number 12 among the technical-scientific documents of the Maiella Park.
Texts and photos tell of the lichens divided into epiphytic lichens of anthropized environments, epiphytic lichens of beech forests, terrestrial lichens of arid meadows, terrestrial lichens of high altitude environments, lichens of rock environments.
The description of the 'strange couple (La symbiosilichenica)' that introduces the knowledge of these organisms is suggestive: "You can imagine the lichens as a small studio apartment where two or more figures live together: the mushroom, the owner who provides a roof and a comfortable bed, and the photosynthetic organisms, the tenants who prepare meals giving the right energy to everyone ".
"The territory of the Maiella Park is characterized by one of the most significant biodiversity heritage in Europe, both for the number of animal and plant species and for the high rate of endemism - writes in the presentation the president of the Park Lucio Zazzara - A wealth due to great diversity lithological, topographical and climatic, to paleogeographic and paleoclimatic history, and to the central position in the Mediterranean basin, which represents one of the biodiversity hotspots defined on a planetary scale ".
A biodiversity that "is going through a critical phase all over the world: in Europe almost a quarter of species are currently threatened with extinction and the degradation of most ecosystems has reached such an extent that they are no longer able to fully provide their valuable services . The EnteParco constantly continues to investigate the various biologic groups present, in this case lichens, increasing the level of knowledge underlying the conservation actions that will be undertaken and guaranteeing, especially to local communities, a clear indication of the high biological quality of the territory ".
(HANDLE).