Marine cyanolichens from different littoral zones are associated with distinct bacterial communities

16S rRNA gene illumina sequencing was used to assess the culture-independent bacterial diversity in the strictly marine cyanolichen species Lichina pygmaea and Lichina confinis, and the maritime chlorolichen species Xanthoria sp. which occupy different zones on the littoral belt. Inland terrestrial cyanolichens from Austria were also analysed as for the marine lichens to examine further the impact of habitat/lichen species on the associated bacterial communities.