Michael Davis
Lichens are organisms that are formed by the symbiotic association of a fungus with algae and/or cyanobacteria. Lichens are not mushrooms, but they are closely related to fungi, which include mushrooms. Lichens have a complex structure, with the fungus being the dominant partner, giving the lichen its characteristics, from its shape to its fruiting bodies. Lichens have been found in diverse habitats and climates, and they are known for their unique appearance, resembling something from another planet. Lichens are not plants, although they produce their own energy through photosynthesis like plants do. They are also not similar to mosses, despite their shared name and some superficial similarities. Lichens are classified as a hybrid colony, with their own distinct properties, and they play an important role in nutrient cycling and providing food for various organisms.
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What You'll Learn
- Lichens are a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically with fungi
- Lichens are not plants, but they produce their own energy through photosynthesis
- Lichens are not mushrooms, but some lichen fungi produce mushroom-like reproductive structures
- Lichens are found all over the world, in a wide range of habitats and climates
- Lichens are not similar to mosses, despite common names for lichens containing the word 'moss'
Lichens are a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically with fungi
Lichens are not mushrooms, but they do contain fungi. Lichens are a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically with multiple species of fungi, along with yeasts and bacteria embedded in the cortex or "skin". Lichens are a complex life form, and no two are alike. They are found all across North America and the world, in a wide range of habitats and climates. They can grow on almost any surface, including rock, walls, gravestones, roofs, exposed soil, rubber, bones, and in the soil as part of biological soil crusts.
The fungus in a lichen is the dominant partner, giving the lichen most of its characteristics, from its thallus shape to its fruiting bodies. Fungi are a diverse group of organisms in their own kingdom, separate from plants. They do not contain chlorophyll or any other means of producing their own food, so they rely on other organisms for nutrition. Lichens are one such partnership, where the fungus gains nutrients from the algae or cyanobacteria.
The algae or cyanobacteria in a lichen are photosynthetic and can produce simple sugars. They give the lichen its green colour. Cyanobacteria are actually bacteria and are part of the bacteria kingdom, Monera. They need to live in water, hence the name "blue-green algae". Algae, on the other hand, are in the kingdom Protista, separate from plants and fungi.
The relationship between the fungus and algae or cyanobacteria in a lichen is thought to be a mutualistic symbiosis, with both partners benefiting. The fungus gains its required carbon source in the form of simple sugars from the algae or cyanobacteria, and the algae or cyanobacteria benefit from improved access to mineral nutrients provided by fungal digestion. However, there is also evidence to suggest that the relationship could be a form of controlled parasitism, as up to half of the carbon fixed by algae is immediately converted to fungal sugars that are inaccessible to the algae.
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Lichens are not plants, but they produce their own energy through photosynthesis
Lichens are composite organisms that emerge from the symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga and/or cyanobacteria. The fungus is the dominant partner, giving the lichen its characteristics, from its thallus shape to its fruiting bodies. Lichens are not plants, but they do produce their own energy through photosynthesis.
The alga, which can be either a green alga or a blue-green alga (cyanobacteria), is the photobiont that photosynthesises and provides food for the fungus. Cyanobacteria are actually bacteria and are part of the Monera kingdom, separate from plants and fungi. Algae are also in a kingdom separate from plants and fungi.
The fungus benefits from the carbohydrates produced by the algae or cyanobacteria via photosynthesis. In return, the algae or cyanobacteria benefit by being protected from the environment by the filaments of the fungi, which also gather moisture and nutrients from the environment and usually provide an anchor. Lichens can be found in almost every habitat and geographic area on the planet, from arctic tundra to hot dry deserts, rocky coasts, and toxic slag heaps. They can even survive in space!
While lichens do not have roots that absorb water and nutrients as plants do, they produce their own energy by photosynthesis. Lichens can grow on almost any surface, including bark, leaves, mosses, other lichens, rock, walls, gravestones, roofs, exposed soil surfaces, rubber, bones, and in the soil as part of biological soil crusts.
Lichens have also been found to provide a mode of survival in harsh environments where algae cannot normally survive. The fungus can protect its algae, allowing these normally water-requiring organisms to live in dry, sunny climates without dying, as long as there is occasional rain to recharge and store food for the next drought period.
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Lichens are not mushrooms, but some lichen fungi produce mushroom-like reproductive structures
Lichens are not mushrooms. Lichens are a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership of two separate organisms: a fungus and an alga and/or cyanobacteria. The fungus gives the lichen most of its characteristics, from its thallus shape to its fruiting bodies. The alga can be either a green alga or a blue-green alga, otherwise known as cyanobacteria. Many lichens will have both types of algae. Lichens are not similar in any way to mosses or other members of the plant kingdom. They do not have roots that absorb water and nutrients as plants do, but like plants, they produce their own energy through photosynthesis.
Mushrooms, on the other hand, are fungi that grow out of the soil like plants. They are widely known for their role in the decomposition of organic matter and are necessary for the survival of the ecosystem around them. They do not make seeds or blossoms, but instead make spores that drift around.
However, some lichen fungi do produce mushroom-like reproductive structures. Some lichen fungi belong to the phylum Basidiomycota (basidiolichens) and produce mushroom-like reproductive structures resembling those of their non-lichenized relatives. Most lichen fungi belong to Ascomycetes (ascolichens). Among the ascolichens, spores are produced in spore-producing structures called ascomata. The most common types of ascomata are the apothecium (plural: apothecia) and perithecium (plural: perithecia). Apothecia are usually cups or plate-like discs located on the top surface of the lichen thallus. Perithecia are shaped like flasks that are immersed in the lichen thallus tissue, which has a small hole for the spores to escape the flask, and appear like black dots on the lichen surface.
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Lichens are found all over the world, in a wide range of habitats and climates
Lichens are composite organisms, a symbiotic partnership of two or more dissimilar organisms: a fungus and one or more algae and/or cyanobacteria. The fungus forms the outer surface, providing support and protection, absorbing moisture, and collecting minerals from the air. The algae and/or cyanobacteria, called photobionts, are photosynthetic and provide food for the fungus to grow and spread.
Lichens are often found on tree trunks, branches, and twigs, where the bark provides a stable place to collect sunlight, rainwater, and materials from the air. They grow on both healthy and unhealthy trees, but they are more evident on stressed or old tree trunks and branches due to the increased sunlight exposure. Lichens can also be found on cleared soil, rusty metal, animal bones, glass, plastic, and cloth.
Lichens are important for the environment in several ways. They provide a means of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen through photosynthesis, and they can absorb pollutants from the atmosphere, such as heavy metals, carbon, and sulfur. Lichens are also used in making dyes, perfumes, and traditional medicines, and some species are eaten by insects or larger animals.
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Lichens are not similar to mosses, despite common names for lichens containing the word 'moss'
Lichens are not similar to mosses, despite common names for lichens containing the word "moss". Lichens are not plants, but a stable symbiotic association between a fungus and algae and/or cyanobacteria. The fungus provides structure and protection, while the algae and/or cyanobacteria provide food through photosynthesis. Lichens do not have roots, stems, or leaves, and their chloroplasts are contained only in the algae on their top surface. They can be found in a variety of habitats, from tropical rainforests to deserts to the frozen tundra of Antarctica.
On the other hand, mosses are primitive plants that are believed to be the ancestors of modern plants like trees, flowers, and ferns. They have plant-like structures that resemble leaves, stems, and roots, and they reproduce via spores rather than seeds. Mosses contain chlorophyll, which is essential for photosynthesis, and they require water to survive. While they can grow in wet or moist habitats, they are vulnerable to drying out because they lack roots to anchor them in place and transport water.
The main differences between lichens and mosses are that lichens are not plants, they do not have roots, stems, or leaves, and they undergo indirect photosynthesis through their symbiotic relationship with algae and/or cyanobacteria. In contrast, mosses are plants with plant-like structures, undergo direct photosynthesis with chlorophyll, and require water to survive. Additionally, lichens can survive in a wider range of habitats and can tolerate extended periods of desiccation, while mosses are more limited to wet or moist environments due to their vulnerability to drying out.
While lichens and mosses may superficially look alike and often grow in close proximity to one another, they are not closely related. Lichens are in the kingdom Fungi, while mosses are in the kingdom Protista, separate from plants and fungi. Lichens and mosses do share some similarities, such as their size and ability to absorb carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air, but overall they are distinct and unique organisms.
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Frequently asked questions
A lichen is a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among filaments of multiple fungus species. Lichens are not plants, but they can look like them. They come in many colours, sizes and forms.
Mushrooms are fungi. They can come in many shapes, sizes, colours and habitats. They do not make seeds or blossoms, but instead, spores that drift around.
Lichens are not mushrooms, but they are closely related. Lichens are a symbiotic partnership of a fungus and an alga, whereas mushrooms are fungi that grow out of the soil like plants.
Yes, both lichens and mushrooms are fungi and can look similar. Some lichen fungi produce mushroom-like reproductive structures.
