The Lichenologist

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History

The first issue of The Lichenologist was published in November 1958. It followed the establishment of the British Lichen Society on 1 February 1958. [3] In its first editorial, the primary objectives of the journal were outlined, which focussed on both the enhancement of lichenological study and the importance of nature conservation. The journal sought to address the scarcity of contemporary literature on British lichen taxonomy by providing detailed articles to assist botanists in identifying local species. Additionally, it aimed to foster contributions on the distribution and ecology of lichens in Britain, areas that were then underexplored. Emphasising the balance between research and the ecological impact of specimen collection, The Lichenologist advocated for careful, responsible study practices to avoid harming these slow-growing organisms. [4]

In its early years, the journal experimented with different cover designs before settling on a mint green cover in 1959, which remained in use until 2000. The journal also transitioned from irregularly published volumes to annual volumes, with volume 6 in 1974 marking the start of consecutively numbered volumes synchronised with calendar years. [5]

Editorial leadership

The journal has had several distinguished senior editors throughout its history: [6]

Journal development

During Crittenden's tenure as senior editor from 2000 to 2019, The Lichenologist underwent several significant changes that modernised and enhanced the journal's impact. In 2001, Crittenden initiated a comprehensive overhaul of the journal's layout and printing, introducing a larger page size and a new cover design that departed from the long-standing mint green cover used since 1959. This visual refresh coincided with efforts to broaden the journal's content and appeal. [7]

Crittenden introduced thematic issues focusing on specific topics within lichenology, which helped to consolidate research in particular areas and increase reader engagement. He also encouraged the submission of longer, more comprehensive papers, allowing for more in-depth treatments of complex subjects. This shift towards more substantial contributions was reflected in an increase in the average number of pages per paper over the years. [8]

The journal also adapted to changes in scientific publishing practices under Crittenden's leadership. The Lichenologist implemented effective electronic publication, keeping pace with the digital transformation of academic publishing. In response to evolving nomenclatural requirements, the journal introduced the obligate registration of new fungal names, ensuring that taxonomic contributions met the latest standards in the field. [9]

Perhaps one of the most notable changes came in 2016 when Crittenden implemented a policy to reject "single naked species descriptions". This decision encouraged authors to contextualise new species descriptions within broader taxonomic or ecological frameworks, thereby increasing the overall impact and usefulness of such contributions. Despite initial concerns, this policy change did not decrease the number of new species described in the journal; instead, it led to more comprehensive and valuable taxonomic papers. [10]

Impact and output

The Lichenologist received its first impact factor in 1999. Under Crittenden's editorship, the impact factor increased from around 0.8–1.0 in the early 2000s to over 1.5 in recent years. [10]

The journal's output has been substantial. A total of 1256 papers were published by the journal between 1958 and 1999, and 1197 papers were published between 2000 and 2019. More than 2000 new lichen species were described between 2000 and 2019, representing 69% of all new species described in the journal since its inception. [7]

Content and scope

The Lichenologist covers a wide range of topics in lichenology, including taxonomy, systematics, ecology, biogeography, and conservation. The journal has a global scope, with contributions from authors worldwide and studies covering diverse geographical regions. [11] In recent years, the journal has collaborated with The Bryologist to increase the quality of both publications and enhance their impact in the field of lichenology. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lichenology</span> Branch of mycology that studies lichens

Lichenology is the branch of mycology that studies the lichens, symbiotic organisms made up of an intimate symbiotic association of a microscopic alga with a filamentous fungus. Lichens are chiefly characterized by this symbiosis.

David Leslie Hawksworth is a British mycologist and lichenologist currently with a professorship in the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Madrid, Spain and also a Scientific Associate of The Natural History Museum in London. In 2002, he was honoured with an Acharius Medal by the International Association for Lichenology. He married Patricia Wiltshire, a leading forensic ecologist and palynologist in 2009. As of 2022, he is the Editor-in-Chief of the journals IMA Fungus and Biodiversity and Conservation.

André Aptroot is a Dutch mycologist and lichenologist. His primary research focus is on biodiversity, particularly tropical lichens, encompassing systematics, floristic surveys, and taxonomic reviews. A prolific researcher, he has published more than 500 scientific papers and described hundreds of new fungal and lichen species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalip Kumar Upreti</span> Indian lichenologist

Dalip Kumar Upreti is an Indian lichenologist. He served as Director and Chief Scientist at CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow during 1988 to 2017. Also he served as Head of Lichenology and herbarium division. Presently he is serving as CSIR-Emeritus Scientist in the same division.

Adolf Hugo Magnusson was a Swedish naturalist who specialized in lichenology. He was a school teacher in Gothenburg from 1909 to 1948, but spent his spare time on the study of lichens. Magnusson published many monographs and floristic papers, specializing in crustose lichens. He formally described about 900 new taxa, specializing in the genera Lecidea, Lecanora, Caloplaca, and Acarospora.

Peter Wilfred James (1930–2014) was an English botanist and lichenologist. He was a pioneer in the study of lichens as environmental indicators, especially of atmospheric pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Galloway (botanist)</span> New Zealand botanist and lichenologist

David John Galloway, FRSNZ was a biochemist, botanist, and lichenologist.

John Alan (Jack) Elix emeritus professor in chemistry at the Australian National University, is an organic chemist who has contributed in many fields: lichenology, lichen chemotaxonomy, plant physiology and biodiversity and natural product chemistry. He has authored 2282 species names, and 67 genera in the field of mycology. Elix edited the exsiccata series Lichenes Australasici exsiccati.

Per Magnus Jørgensen is a Norwegian botanist and lichenologist, and Professor Emeritus of systematic botany at the University of Bergen. He is known for his work on the lichen families Pannariaceae and Collemataceae. Jørgensen was awarded the Acharius Medal in 2021 for his lifetime contributions to lichenology.

Brian John Coppins is a botanist and lichenologist, considered a world authority on crustose lichens and a leading expert on the genus Micarea.

Antonín (Toni) Vězda was a Czech lichenologist. After completing a university education that was postponed by World War II, Vězda taught botany at the Czech University of Life Sciences. In 1958, he was dismissed from his university position as a result of the restrictions placed on academic freedoms by the communist regime in power. He eventually was hired as a lichen researcher by the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, who allowed him to work from his apartment, which served also as an office and herbarium.

Peter Crittenden is a British lichenologist. His research largely concerns the ecophysiology of lichens. Crittenden is known for using new techniques to study lichens, such as the use of 3D printing and X-ray computed tomography to study lichen structure and development. He served as the senior editor of the scientific journal The Lichenologist from the years 2000–2016; and still serves on the editorial board for the journal Fungal Ecology. Crittenden was the president of the British Lichen Society in 1998–1999, and president of the International Association for Lichenology from 2008 to 2012. He was awarded the Acharius Medal at the 10th International Mycological Congress in Bangkok in 2014, for his lifetime achievements in lichenology.

Leif Tibell is a Swedish lichenologist and Emeritus Professor at the University of Uppsala. He is known for his expertise on calicioid lichens. He was awarded the Acharius Medal in 2012 for lifetime achievements in lichenology.

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Gunnar Bror Fritiof Degelius was a Swedish lichenologist. Between the publications of his first and final scientific papers, Degelius had a 70-year-long research career. While he was best known for his expertise on the lichen genus Collema, he also wrote important papers on lichen biology and ecology, floristic studies of the Nordic countries and various other areas around the world, and lichen succession. Degelius described 124 new taxa, and published about 130 scientific papers. In 1992 he was one of the first to be awarded the Acharius Medal for his lifetime contributions to lichenology. Fifteen species and three genera have been named in honour of Degelius.

The British Lichen Society (BLS) was founded in 1958 with the objective of promoting the study and conservation of lichen. Although the society was founded in London, UK, it is of relevance to lichens worldwide. It has been a registered charity since 1964.

Mark Richard David Seaward is a British ecologist and lichenologist. He was awarded the Acharius Medal in 2006 for lifetime contributions to lichenology.

Josef Poelt was a botanist, bryologist and lichenologist. He held the chair in Systematic Botany and Plant Geography at the Free University of Berlin and then was head of the Botanical Institute and Botanical Garden of Graz University, Austria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Lücking</span> German lichenologist

Robert Lücking is a German lichenologist, known for his extensive research on foliicolous lichens and his significant contributions to the taxonomy, ecology, and biodiversity of fungi and lichens. He earned his master's and PhD from the University of Ulm, focusing on foliicolous lichens. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Mason E. Hale Award for his doctoral thesis, the Augustin Pyramus de Candolle prize for his monograph, and the Tuckerman Award twice for his publications in the scientific journal The Bryologist.

Guido Benno Feige was a German lichenologist and botanist known for his contributions to lichen secondary chemistry, taxonomy, and floristics. He was a highly regarded educator and researcher, with a legacy that includes the foundation of a botanical garden and a lichen herbarium. In honour of his academic excellence and contributions to the field of lichenology, a new genus and two species were named after him.

Walter Watson (1872–1960) was a British lichenologist who made contributions to the study of lichens and bryophytes in the United Kingdom. Born in Greenfield and educated at the University of London, Watson had a long career as an educator, culminating in his role as head of the science department at Taunton School. His research focused primarily on the botany of Somerset, where he settled, and he authored numerous papers on lichen and bryophyte floras. Watson's most notable work, the Census Catalogue of British Lichens (1953), became a foundational resource for mapping lichen distribution in Britain. He received recognition for his contributions to the field, including a Doctor of Science degree from the University of London and honorary associate status with the Linnean Society. Watson's work during periods of reduced interest in lichenology helped maintain continuity in the field, establishing him as a key figure in the history of British lichenology.

References

  1. ↑ "The Lichenologist". Cambridge Core. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  2. ↑ Lücking 2021, pp. 3–4.
  3. ↑ Hawksworth, D.L.; Seaward, M.R.D. (1977). Lichenology in the British Isles, 1568–1975: An Historical and Biographical Survey. Richmond: The Richmond Publishing Company. p. 35.
  4. ↑ "Editorial". The Lichenologist. 1 (1): 1–2. November 1958. doi:10.1017/S0024282958000037.
  5. ↑ Lücking 2021, pp. 4–5.
  6. ↑ Lücking 2021, pp. 5–6.
  7. 1 2 Lücking 2021, pp. 6–7.
  8. 1 2 Lücking 2021, p. 7.
  9. ↑ Lücking 2021, p. 8.
  10. 1 2 Lücking 2021, pp. 7–8.
  11. ↑ Lücking 2021, pp. 9–13.

Cited literature

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