GOTTA LIKE LICHEN— IT’S ALL OVER HIGH PRAIRIE!

Chris Sokol 

These pictures of our local lichen were taken at Swale Canyon and Stacker Butte. Our rocky soils, with white oak and evergreens are a host for so many different types of lichens. 

Ten interesting facts about lichen: 

1. A lichen is a miniature plant-like organism that is really a partnership between a fungus and an alga. 

2. Lichens grow very slowly and live for thousands of years. Some in the arctic are 8,600 years old, by far the oldest living organisms on the planet. 

3. Lichens can grow at all elevations and many environmental conditions and almost any surface – rocks, walls, roofs, exposed soils, rubber, bones…. Different kinds of lichens have adapted to survive in the most extreme environments on Earth- hot dry deserts, rocky coasts, arctic tundra, tropical forests… 

4. There are about 20,000 known species of lichen. 

5. It is estimated that 6-8% of Earth’s surface is covered by lichens. 

6. Lichens come in a variety of colors, which help protect them from too much sunlight or low temperatures. The variety of colors is a result of their complex chemistry of tissues. Over 700 organic chemical compounds have been found in lichen – 90% not found elsewhere in nature. 

7. Lichens get their nutrition from chemicals in the atmosphere. They live on air! They do not have roots or vascular tissue. 

8. Lichens are a source of food for deer, squirrels, voles, invertebrates, and humans! Black lichen in conifer forests such as ours has been an important yearlong food source for Native Americans. Lungwort has been used to treat dry, wheezing coughs. The colorful chemicals are used as dye. 

9. The biggest threats to lichens are air pollution, urban sprawl, invasive weeds, trampling from off-roading and livestock. 

10. Over time, lichens can break down rock into soil (biological weathering) by simply attaching themselves to rocks. When lichens decompose, they provide material for soil development.

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