Lichens
by Heidi Smith
Title
Lichens
Artist
Heidi Smith
Medium
Photograph
Description
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic relationship between a fungus (the mycobiont) and a photosynthetic partner (the photobiont or phycobiont), usually either a green alga (commonly Trebouxia) or cyanobacterium (commonly Nostoc). The morphology, physiology and biochemistry of lichens are very different from those of the isolated fungus and alga in culture. Lichens occur in some of the most extreme environments on Earth—arctic tundra, hot deserts, rocky coasts, and toxic slag heaps. However, they are also abundant as epiphytes on leaves and branches in rain forests and temperate woodland, on bare rock, including walls and gravestones, and on exposed soil surfaces (e.g., Collema) in otherwise mesic habitats. Lichens are widespread and may be long-lived; however, many are also vulnerable to environmental disturbance, and may be useful to scientists in assessing the effects of air pollution, ozone depletion, and metal contamination. Lichens have also been used in making dyes and perfumes, as well as in traditional medicines.
Info from wikipedia
This image was taken in Morro Bay, California
Uploaded
July 19th, 2012
Statistics
Viewed 989 Times - Last Visitor from White Plains, NY on 04/09/2024 at 3:07 PM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Recently Viewed
