PhD. Topics

The hidden partners of Solenopsora: A Holobiont Perspective

Ecolgoy and Environmental Conservation

2026

Mgr. Anna Bérešová, PhD.

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Faculty of Natural Sciences Comenius University

Traditional view of lichen thallus as a consortium of fungus and photosynthesizing alga, or cyanobacteria has changed substantially over the recent years. We know, that the holobiont system of lichen symbiosis is complex. Besides stabile, majoritarian lichen partners – mycobiont and photobiont, it includes other associated components. In particular additional fungi associated to the lichen thalli have been found to be diverse and represented by both symptomatic and asymptomatic taxa, which all constitute the lichen mycobiome. European Mediterranean and other regions with Mediterranean climate belong to one of the most important biodiversity centres of the world. Distribution of Solenopsora A. Massal. (Catillariaceae) species has been intensively studied within their species ranges since 2010 and we gained a clear overview enabling us to evaluate their biogeography and link it to the Mediterranean climate type. We identified mycobionts of the European taxa, which interestingly indicate polyphyly and infrageneric taxonomy. This topic remains unresolved. Another point associated with photosynthesizing partners includes open questions – disclosed photobiont lineageas are so far undescribed and the issue, whether the pattern correlates eventually with ecological guilds is still open. At last but not least, it is necessary to zoom on overall diversity of bionts of selected species from both macro- and microecological aspect. Thus the aim of the thesis is to investigate the evolutionary and ecological diversity of Solenopsora holobionts by resolving taxonomic issues linked to the polyphyletic nature of their mycobionts, determining whether photobiont lineages correspond to ecological guilds, and characterizing the full spectrum of associated bionts across micro- and macro-ecological gradients.