Lichens On Parade

Here's a little of what the lichen page on Backyard Nature has to say:

Structurally, lichens are among the most bizarre of all forms of life. That's because every lichen species is actually composed of two, possibly even three, distinct species of organisms. One species is a kind of fungus. Usually the other species is an alga, but sometimes it can be a photosynthesizing bacterium known as a cyanobacterium. Sometimes all three organisms are found in one lichen.

In this amazing association the fungus benefits from the algae because fungi, having no chlorophyll, can't photosynthesize their own food. A lichen's fungal part is thus "fed" by its photosynthesizing algal part. The algae benefit from the association because the fungus is better able to find, soak up, and retain water and nutrients than the algae. Also, the fungus gives the resulting lichen shape, and provides the reproductive structures. This kind of relationship between two or more organisms, where both organisms benefit, is known as mutualism.

After doing a little research, I concluded that identifying lichens is a lot like identifying mosses: I'd have a lot more success at learning to flap my arms and fly than at pinning down a lichen ID. Therefore, I shall be content just displaying photos of the lichens I've found recently. If you want to learn more, visit Backyard Nature or Earthlife. By studying those pages (and all the additional links they provide) you can become a lichen expert, while I just wander around taking photos and enjoying nature.

Have fun!