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The ground (Cladina arbuscula, C. rangiferina, C. stellaris, Cetraria islandica) and epiphytic (Hypogymnia physodes and Bryoria subcana) lichens in taiga forests of the European Northeast were examined as habitats of oribatid mites. In total, in different species of lichens, 55 species of oribatids from 30 families were found. Five ecological groups of oribatid mites as inhabitants of lichens were identified. It was found that the specificity of the oribatid mite population in epiphytic lichens consisted of dominant arboricolic species also not numerous arboricolic species. Dominant hemiedaphic species and not numerous hemiedaphic species were characteristic of ground lichens. The arboricolic‒hemiedaphic group includes species that live in both ground and epiphytic lichens. The ecologically vicariating species in relation to epiphytes were identified; these are species of the genera Carabodes, Mycobates, Oribatula, and Phauloppia.

Ontogenesis of the foliose lichen Hypogymnia physodes has been described on the basis of the material obtained from natural populations. Ontogenetic dynamics (diameter of thallus and the number of lobes) and the features of reproductive structures (the number and diameter of labelloid and galeated sorales) were studied in ecologically different pine forests. We reasonably rejected the use of the variance analysis and nonparametric criteria for the result processing. It was shown that the median dynamics and trait variance may be either similar or different throughout the ontogenesis. The trait variances in ecologically different ecotopes were shown to be different.

Size and reproductive traits of thalli of the epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl. and concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Cd, Zn, Pb) in them were determined in the region of the Middle Ural Copper Smelting Plant, in two contrast zones of atmospheric pollution. The nonuniformity of populations in both size and reproductive traits and metal concentration was demonstrated. A high heterogeneity of subpopulations growing on different phorophytes was revealed. It is recommended to optimize data collection by taking samples from a larger number of trees (20–30) at a smaller number of thalli (10–20) from one phorophyte.

Effect of some pollutants on the lichen Hypogymnia physodes is investigated. It is established experimentally that the greatest changes in the chemical composition of the lichen are caused by short-term exposure to 32 and 65% nitric acid and long-term exposure (14–21 days) to low concentrations (3 and 6%) of sulfuric acid.

A sequential extraction procedure was used to study localization of heavy metals in thalli of the lichen Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl. growing under conditions of chronic aerotechnogenic pollution in the Middle Urals. Trends in the seasonal dynamics of metal contents in the thalli were revealed. The dynamics of metal accumulation was also studied in the thalli brought to the polluted zone from the background environment. After one year, the extra-and intercellular contents of most metals in these transplants approached those in the aboriginal thalli and in some cases (intracellular content of cadmium) exceeded them.