Diversity and phylogeny of symbiotic partners in zeorin-containing red-fruited Cladonia species.

Lichens are a classic example of mutualistic symbiotic associations, yet the views on lichen symbiosis have changed considerably during the last fifty years. Nowadays, lichens are generally understood to be microecosystems consisting of several symbiotic partners which contribute in different ways to the prosperity of the whole system and which differ by the strength of their bond to other symbiotic partners. The level of knowledge of the individual partners (mycobionts vs. photobionts vs. bacteria) varies greatly in terms of their specificity, diversity and in the forces that shape this diversity. The main aim of this work was to reveal the diversity of organisms participating in lichen symbiosis and to better understand the biological forces which shape this diversity. We worked with a relatively common lichen group, zeorin-containing red-fruited Cladonia species, and specifically, we focused on the mycobionts, photobionts and bacteria that participate in this association. During the course of the study, it became apparent that species delimitation, which is a fundamental requirement for accurate diversity estimates, is another topic that requires further research. Our analyses revealed that species circumscription of most of recently recognized Cladonia mycobionts cannot by supported by..