Lichens are known to have wide, often disjunct ranges, but little is known about their dispersal ecology. It has been postulated many times that birds may serve as a dispersal agent for lichen propagules, but conclusions have yet to be made regarding this hypothesis. In order to investigate how important birds are for lichen dispersal, swab samples were taken from migratory passerines in Iceland during the fall of 2020. Then DNA was extracted and utilized in nested PCR to determine the presence of lichen propagules in these swab samples. We hope to further determine lichen families, genera, and species from these samples to identify which lichens are actively being dispersed from Iceland to Europe and beyond by these bird species. Through this work, we have established protocols that can be used to collect trace lichen samples using cotton swabs, as well as investigate lichen and bird dispersal relationships more thoroughly.
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