Relationships between mycobiont identity, photobiont specificity and ecological preferences in the lichen genus Peltigera (Ascomycota) in Estonia (northeastern Europe). Nostoc in Peltigera

We studied the haplotype type diversity of cyanobacterial symbionts in the predominately terricolous cyanolichen genus Peltigera (Peltigerales, Lecanoromycetes) in Estonia. Our sampling included 252 lichen specimens collected in grasslands and forests from different parts of the country and represented all common Peltigera taxa in the region. The cyanobacteria were grouped according to their tRNALeu (UAA) intron sequences, and mycobiont identities were confirmed using fungal ITS sequences. The studied Peltigera species associated with 34 different “Peltigera-type” Nostoc trnL haplotypes.