Short-Term Dynamics of the Mycobiome in Species of the Genera Umbilicaria and Dermatocarpon in a Saxicolous Lichen Community

Lichens, which are fungi that form mutualistic relationships with algae or cyanobacteria, also serve as habitats for a variety of microbial communities. Recently, the diversity of fungi associated with lichens has garnered considerable research attention. However, despite such advances, the mycobiome of lichens and its variations remain inadequately explored in many areas. Over a six-week period in spring, three saxicolous lichen species from the genera Dermatocarpon and Umbilicaria were randomly sampled at two locations in a low mountain range in Bavaria, Germany. The mycobiomes associated with these lichens were analysed and taxonomically classified using a metabarcoding approach with Illumina sequencing. The results revealed that the microbial communities displayed a clear specificity to their host lichens. Overall, it appears that the similarity of the mycobiome is generally higher within a genus than between different genera. Additionally, no significant changes in the fungal community of any single lichen species were observed over the six-week period, suggesting that changes in lichen mycobiomes occur slowly within a vegetation season.