Studies have shown that air pollution, as well as bark fissure depth and sun exposure of a tree can have an effect on lichen growth as well as abundance of lichen species. The aim of this study was to find out the relative importance of these factors. 211 oaks in south eastern Sweden were surveyed for presence of 17 lichen species, as well as the total number of lichen species. Half of the trees were situated in urban areas and half in the countryside. For each tree the bark fissure depth was measured and the sun exposure of the trunk was estimated.

The aim of this study was to describe preferences of geographic direction of ten, oak-living epiphytic lichen species and how they responded to sun exposure, nearby bushes and trees, bark fissure depth and circumference. The frequency of every species was recorded in arcs of ten degrees around the tree at a height of 130 to 180 cm above the ground. An estimation of the amount of every species in every arc was also recorded. To analyse how the distribution of the lichen species responded to the different factors their concentration for every tree was plotted against the four factors. The distribution of Cliostomum corrugatum had a positive response to high sun exposure and a negative response to a thick layer of bushes and trees.