About "Index of Lichen Distribution Maps"
The "Index of Lichen Distribution Maps" is a world-wide database of distribution maps for lichens, lichenicolous fungi and other related ascomycetes. The project was initiated in the 1990ies. Since then scientific publications from all parts of the world are systematically scanned for distribution maps by Peter Scholz, Schkeuditz, Germany. Currently, the database contains more than 40,000 records obtained from nearly 2,000 literature sources with Unger (1836) as the earliest reference. Each record refers to one distribution map of one single taxon. Up to date, information for more than 8,000 taxa has been recorded, covering genus and species as well as taxa of infrageneric and infraspecific rank. Information for every single map (1 to 150 per taxon) constitutes map display (i. e., dot maps, grit maps, area maps and district maps), references to the geographical area covered by each map and a link to the original literature source. If available, additional information is recorded on ecological preferences, habitats, bioindication and the distribution of chemical races. Each literature reference is cross-referenced with the online database "Recent Literature on Lichens and Mattick's literature index". In cooperation with the LIAS names project all information will ultimately be linked directly to a unique taxon idenifier based on a standardized list of lichen names and their synonymy.
In 2003 support was provided by the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) as part of the umbrella project "Establishing the German GBIF Node for Mycology". The database of distribution maps was imported into the Diversity Workbench module DiversityMapIndexing, a MS Access database application developed by Markus Weiss and Gregor Hagedorn. At the same time, geographical data were integrated with the module DiversityGazetteer and a ColdFusion webinterface was programmed by Wiltrud Spiesberger.
As part of the German GBIF Participant Node for Mycology, the "Index of Lichen Distribution Maps" is presently maintained and expanded by the database author Peter Scholz and members of the Botanische Staatssammlung München. The author and editorial staff at the Botanische Staatssammlung München would greatly appreciate to be informed, if any records are inaccurate.
Suggested Citation
Scholz, P. 2004 [first posted on 2004-11-01; most recent update: 2004-11-01]. "Index of Lichen Distribution Maps". – Unabhängiges Institut für Umweltfragen e.V. and Botanische Staatssammlung München: http://www.gbif-mycology.de/Lichenmaps/. – München, Germany.
