Tropical forests are rapidly disappearing and the pressure to assess biodiversity and the effect of management on biodiversity has led to the development of a methodology for surveying cryptogamic communities in plots established in a range of management conditions. This methodology is demonstrated using lichen data from forest tree plots in Thailand. Plots in fire-sensitive evergreen forest were dominated by the following lichen taxa: Bacidicaceae, Trichotheliaceae, Arthoniaceae and Pyrenulaceae, while plots in fire-tolerant deciduous forest were dominated by Physciaceae, Parmeliaceae [Lecanorales] and Graphidaceae. Reproductive characteristics also vary with habitat; in fire-disturbed sites, isidiate and sorediate taxa were most frequent, whereas in undisturbed sites, fertile species were more frequent. Lichens in deciduous dipterocarp sites exposed to a hot dry period had higher trebouxioid photobionts, while shaded humid evergreen forests were dominated by trentepohlioid photobionts.
