Lichens and Environmental Data from Oak Tree Canopies in two Piedmont Oak-Hickory Forests, NC, USA, 2013-2014

These data describe lichens collected from 72 samples (12x18 cm quadrats) on branches of 12 Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) trees at two sites in Piedmont Dry-Mesic Acidic Oak-Hickory Forest located in North Carolina, USA. Lichens were sampled once and data loggers installed to measure relative light intensity and temperature from mid-June through March. For samples collected at Duke Forest (Trees 4-12), all lichen species present in samples were identified to species. For samples on Trees 1 - 10, seven functional traits were measured on macrolichen thalli (up to 24 in each sample): total chlorophyll content, chlorohyll a:b ratio, percent water at saturation, specific thallus area, rhizine length, thallus thickness, and cortex thickness.