Porosty (Lichenes) Kotliny Żywieckiej

Abstract

The Żywiec Dale extends over ca. 100 sq. kms and belongs to the Silesian and Babia Góra Sub-Region. It was formed at the confluence of the rivers Soła, Koszarawa, Lękawka, Lesna, Zylica and other lesser streems. It is surrounded with the steep slopes of the Beskid Mts.: the Silesian Beskid from the west, the Little Beskid from the north and the slopes of the Romanka and Barania Góra mountain ranges. It is almost flat in character, only to a small extent sloping down to the Soła which crosses this area approximately in its middle. The bottom of the Żywiec Dale is formed of geological sediments of the Sub-Silesian and Cieszyn series, which are open to cutting by erosion and denudation. These sediments are covered with younger ones, mostly of Quaternary origin. The sediments of the Cieszyn series, mainly Cieszyn lime, emerge to the surface only at the foot of the Silesian Beskid, and are a breeding-ground for calciphile lichen, such as Caloplaca stillicidiorum, C. decipiens, C. dolomiticola, Protoblastenia rupestris, Ronodina bischoffii, Candelariella aurella, Bacidia muscorum, Collema tenax, Leptogium lichenoides, Leptogium pusillum, Placynthium nigrum, Acarospora heppii, Lecanora (Aspicilia) calcarea, L. (A.) contorta, L. (A.) hoffmanii. Rounded sandstone pebbles coming from the Beskid Mts., were brought by fluvial transport and deposited under a petrified form along the river and stream beds. Upon the old gravel fields these rounded sandstone pebbles are overgrown with acidograta, C. prasina, Chaonetheca nudiuscula, Thelocarpon epibolium, Th. laureri and Candelariela xanthostigma. On moorlands and old gravel fields in dry ana open spaces a number of species of the Cladonia variety have been observed, such as Cl. deformis, Cl. digitata, Cl. chlorophaea, Cl. cornutoradiata, Cl. degenerans, Cl. furcata, Cl. gracilis, Cl. pyxitata, Cl. rangiformis, Cl. rangiferina, Cl. mitis, Cl. sylvatica, and, moreover, Pycnthelia papillaria, Basomyces roseus, B. rufus, Cornicularia aculeata and Peltigera rufescena. Listing the species of lichen systematically, the author has comprised the respective stands of the 180 varieties of lichen found on the territory of the Żywiec Dale.