Dania Estela Rosabal Lopez
@ucm.grm.sld.cu
Sience and Technological Innovation
Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Granma
• Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Granma, Cuba. 05/10/2020- present
• Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba. 24/08/2006-26/08/2016
Teaching experience
She has been teaching introductory and upper level courses in Monera, Fungi, Plant Systematic, Plant Ecology and Lichen Ecology. She is trained in pedagogic and didactic methods for different teaching styles. She has created the syllabus and the timetable for the courses and she has been lecturer of these courses. Also, she has planned, evaluated and revised course content and course materials.
EDUCATION
• Ph.D. Biological Sciences. University of Oriente, Santiago de Cuba. 17/10/2016
Dissertation entitle: “Diversity, co-occurrence patterns and spatial distribution of corticolous lichens in a montane rainforest”, supervised by Dr. Ana Rosa Burgaz, Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
• MSc. Botany-Mycology. University of Havana, Havana, Cuba. 13/10/2012
Dissertation entitle: “Substrate preferences and phorophyte specificity of corticolous lichens on five tree species of the montane rainforest”, supervised by Dr. Ana Rosa Burgaz, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Awarded by the Cuban Society of Botany to the best Master Thesis, 2012.
• B. A. Biology. University of Oriente, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. 22/07/2006. (Suma cumme laude)
Dissertation entitle: “Diversity of vascular epiphytes in a coastal shrubland of SE Cuba”, supervised by MSc. Nilia Cuéllar Araújo, Universidad de Oriente.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Lichen diversity and ecology
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Dania Rosabal and Raquel Pino-Bodas
MDPI AG
Lichens are symbiotic associations between fungi (the mycobiont) and algae or cyanobacteria (the photobionts). They synthesize a large number of secondary metabolites, many of which are potential sources of novel molecules with pharmacological and industrial applications. The advancement of in vitro culture methods of lichen-forming fungi would allow the comprehensive application of these compounds at large scales, enable improvements in the synthesis, facilitate understanding of the role of the partners in the synthesis of these compounds and increase our knowledge about the genes associated with secondary metabolites production. The aim of this work is to summarize the nutritional and physicochemical requirements that have been used to date to culture different lichen-forming fungi species. In total, the requirements for the cultivation of 110 species are presented. This review can provide a starting point for future experiments and help advance the methods of culturing lichenized fungi. The type of diaspore selected to isolate the mycobiont, the composition of the isolation and culture media and the corresponding physicochemical parameters are essential in designing an efficient lichen culture system, allowing the achievement of a suitable growth of lichen-forming fungi and the subsequent production of secondary metabolites.
Dania Rosabal, Ana Rosa Burgaz, and Orlando J. Reyes
Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
This study aims to determine lichens co-occurrence patterns on five phorophyte species in the montane rainforest of Gran Piedra, Santiago de Cuba. In each plot, all trees of these five species: Gomidesia lindeniana, Coccoloba wrightii, Clusia tetrastigma, Dendropanax arboreus and Brunellia comocladifolia were surveyed. On the 51 sampled phorophyte trees, 53 lichen species were found. Only Gomidesia lindeniana and Coccoloba wrightii exhibited probabilities for the C-score and CHECKER indices significantly higher than expected by chance; consequently, lichens co-occurrence are non-random on these phorophytes. For Dendropanax arboreus , Clusia tetrastigma and Brunellia comocladifolia the null hypothesis for these indices was not rejected. The enhanced of frequency of lichen species, increase the number of species pairs forming a checkerboard distribution. In conclusion, lichen species co-occurred less often than expected by chance, although this pattern was not similar for all phorophytes species.
Dania Rosabal, Ana Rosa Burgaz, and Orlando J. Reyes
American Bryological and Lichenological Society
Abstract Research concerning ecological relationships between corticolous lichens and substrate factors in Cuba is limited. This study aims to determine the variation of composition, richness, frequency and cover area of corticolous lichens of the montane rainforest of Gran Piedra in Cuba related to physical and chemical substrate factors, including diameter of the trunk, roughness, per cent moisture, pH, and concentration of bark phenols. In addition, lichen-phorophyte specificity of the tree species Gomidesia lindeniana, Coccoloba wrightii, Clusia tetrastigma, Dendropanax arboreus and Brunellia comocladifolia was determined. On 51 sampled phorophyte trees, 53 lichen species were found, 19 of which are new records to Cuba. Canonical Correspondence Analysis showed a segregation pattern in the species composition due to diameter of the trunk, pH and phenol concentration of the bark. Lichen-phorophyte specificity was almost absent, with only two lichen species, Ocellularia terebrata and Chapsa neei, showing a significant association with Brunellia comocladifolia.
Dania Rosabal, Ana Rosa Burgaz, Adeline Altamirano, and Gregorio Aragón
American Bryological and Lichenological Society
Abstract The epiphytic lichen flora in the semi-deciduous forest of Monte Barranca, Santiago de Cuba differs between the edge and interior due to differences in light levels. Four transects of 50 m were establish: two on the edge and two on the interior. Sixty randomly-chosen trees were surveyed, fifteen trees in each transect. The trees were sampled from the ground to two meters in height. Seventy-four corticolous lichen species were recorded, including 51 newly recorded for Cuba. Reproductive strategies were as varied for those lichens on the edge of the forest as for those in the interior, but most of the species were reproducing sexually. Porina distans, a generalist species, is highly adapted to the Monte Barranca semi-deciduous forest.
H. T. Lumbsch, T. Ahti, S. Altermann, G. A. De Paz, A. Aptroot, U. Arup, A. B. Pena, P. A. Bawingan, M. N. Benatti, L. Betancourt,et al.
Magnolia Press
The number of undescribed species of lichenized fungi has been estimated at roughly 10,000. Describing and cataloging these would take the existing number of taxonomists several decades; however, the support for taxonomy is in decline worldwide. In this paper we emphasize the dire need for taxonomic expertise in lichenology. We bring together 103 colleagues from institutions worldwide to describe a total of 100 new species of lichenized fungi, representing a wide taxonomic and geographic range. The newly described species are: Acarospora flavisparsa, A. janae, Aderkomyces thailandicus, Amandinea maritima, Ampliotrema cocosense, Anomomorpha lecanorina, A. tuberculata, Aspicilia mansourii, Bacidina sorediata, Badimia multiseptata, B. vezdana, Biatora epirotica, Buellia sulphurica, Bunodophoron pinnatum, Byssoloma spinulosum, Calopadia cinereopruinosa, C. editae, Caloplaca brownlieae, C. decipioides, C. digitaurea, C. magnussoniana, C. mereschkowskiana, C. yorkensis, Calvitimela uniseptata, Chapsa microspora, C. psoromica, C. rubropulveracea, C. thallotrema, Chiodecton pustuliferum, Cladonia mongkolsukii, Clypeopyrenis porinoides, Coccocarpia delicatula, Coenogonium flammeum, Cresponea ancistrosporelloides, Crocynia microphyllina, Dictyonema hernandezii, D. hirsutum, Diorygma microsporum, D. sticticum, Echinoplaca pernambucensis, E. schizidiifera, Eremithallus marusae, Everniastrum constictovexans, Fellhanera borbonica, Fibrillithecis sprucei, Fissurina astroisidiata, F. nigrolabiata, F. subcomparimuralis, Graphis caribica, G. cerradensis, G. itatiaiensis, G. marusa, Gyalideopsis chicaque, Gyrotrema papillatum, Harpidium gavilaniae, Hypogymnia amplexa, Hypotrachyna guatemalensis, H. indica, H. lueckingii, H. paracitrella, H. paraphyscioides, H. parasinuosa, Icmadophila eucalypti, Krogia microphylla, Lecanora mugambii, L. printzenii, L. xanthoplumosella, Lecidea lygommella, Lecidella greenii, Lempholemma corticola, Lepraria sekikaica, Lobariella sipmanii, Megalospora austropacifica, M. galapagoensis, Menegazzia endocrocea, Myriotrema endoflavescens, Ocellularia albobullata, O. vizcayensis, Ochrolechia insularis, Opegrapha viridipruinosa, Pannaria phyllidiata, Parmelia asiatica, Pertusaria conspersa, Phlyctis psoromica, Placopsis imshaugii, Platismatia wheeleri, Porina huainamdungensis, Ramalina hyrcana, R. stoffersii, Relicina colombiana, Rhizocarpon diploschistidina, Sticta venosa, Sagenidiopsis isidiata, Tapellaria albomarginata, Thelotrema fijiense, Tricharia nigriuncinata, Usnea galapagona, U. pallidocarpa, Verrucaria rhizicola, and Xanthomendoza rosmarieae. In addition, three new combinations are proposed: Fibrillithecis dehiscens, Lobariella botryoides, and Lobariella pallida.
Dania Rosabal, Ana Rosa Burgaz, and Rudy De la Masa
American Bryological and Lichenological Society
Abstract The macrolichens are a conspicuous component of the montane rainforest of Gran Piedra, Santiago de Cuba. This study aims at comparing the species composition, frequency and cover area of epiphytic macrolichens between the north and south slopes, as well as to determine the variation in species composition and frequency of epiphytic macrolichens in communities along and around the tree trunk. Six plots were sampled; three on the north-facing slope and three on the south slope. We found 21 species of macrolichens. Sticta beauvoisii, Hypotrachyna lineariloba and Pannaria tavaresii are new records for Cuba. Differences were observed in species composition between slopes, whereas neither the species composition nor the frequency changed significantly with cardinal orientation or vertical distribution on the trunk. Heterodermia leucomelaena and Leptogium austroamericanum were considered as indicators of the north slopes, and Cladonia ceratophylla of the south slope.