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The fungi of some lichen species may "take over" the algae of other lichen species. [16] [135] Lichens make their own food from their photosynthetic parts and by absorbing minerals from the environment. [16] Lichens growing on leaves may have the appearance of being parasites on the leaves, but they are not.
Lichenology has found applications beyond biology itself in the field of geology in a technique known as lichenometry where the age of an exposed surface can be found by studying the age of lichens growing on them. Age dating in this way can be absolute or relative because the growth of these organisms can be arrested under various conditions.
Enchylium limosum is a widely distributed lichen species with a holarctic range, occurring across temperate to boreal-montane regions of Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia. [ 7 ] [ 2 ] [ 22 ] Within Europe, the species has been recorded from a number of countries, including Italy , the United Kingdom , Ireland , the Czech Republic ...
One reason the greenshield lichen can be more commonly found than other lichen species is because it is relatively tolerant of pollution. Lichens are often used to monitor air quality.
Various species of crustose lichens, including Biatora granulosa and Lecidea uliginosa, were found covering recently-burned surfaces caused by a subarctic forest fire in an area near the Great Slave Lake. [16] Crustose lichens also grow in areas of high elevations, such as the western Himalayan region.
After a natural disaster, common pioneer organisms include lichens and algae. Mosses usually follow lichens in colonization but cannot serve as pioneer organisms. These common pioneer organisms can have a preference in the temperatures they are in. Lichens are more inclined to be in regions with more rainfall, whereas algae and mosses have a preference of being in regions with more humidity.
A lichen's usefulness as a medicine is often related to the lichen secondary compounds that are abundant in most lichen thalli. Different lichens produce a wide variety of these compounds, most of which are unique to lichens and many of which are antibiotic. It has been estimated that 50% of all lichen species have antibiotic properties. [3]
Anaptychia ciliaris, commonly known as the great ciliated lichen or eagle's claws, is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Physciaceae. [2] It is predominantly found in Northern Europe, with its range extending to European Russia, the Caucasus, Central and Southern Europe, the Canary Islands, and parts of Asia.