Emily Johnson
Lichens are a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership between a fungus and an alga and/or cyanobacteria. They are not plants, but they produce their own energy through photosynthesis. Lichens are found all across North America and the world, and they come in many colours, sizes, and forms. The dominant partner in this symbiotic relationship is the fungus, which gives the lichen its characteristics, from its thallus shape to its fruiting bodies. Some lichen fungi produce mushroom-like reproductive structures, but are mushrooms part of the lichen family?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Lichen | A hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among filaments of multiple fungus species, along with bacteria embedded in the cortex or "skin", in a mutualistic relationship |
| Mushrooms | A fungus that is either edible or poisonous and is found growing on the side of either living or fallen trees or decaying wood |
| Difference | Lichens are made up of two or more organisms living together, whereas mushrooms are a single organism |
| Lichen types | Macrolichen (bush-like or leafy) and microlichen |
| Mushroom types | Cup fungi, Boletes, Jelly fungi |
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What You'll Learn
Lichens are a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria
Lichens are composite organisms that emerge from algae or cyanobacteria living among the filaments (hyphae) of fungi in a symbiotic relationship. Lichens are not single organisms but rather stable symbiotic associations between a fungus and algae and/or cyanobacteria. The fungus is called a mycobiont, while the photosynthesizing organism is called a photobiont. Algay photobionts are called phycobionts, while cyanobacteria photobionts are called cyanobionts.
The fungus provides the physical structure and fruiting bodies, while the algae or cyanobacteria contribute carbohydrates produced via photosynthesis. The fungus benefits from the carbohydrates produced by the algae or cyanobacteria, while the algae or cyanobacteria benefit from being protected from the environment by the filaments of the fungus, which also gather moisture and nutrients from the environment and usually provide an anchor. This symbiotic relationship is thought to be mutualistic, with both the fungus and the photosynthetic partners benefiting.
Cyanolichens can have both cyanobacteria and green algae in a common layer as major contributors to photosynthesis. In these lichens, the cyanobacteria may be held on the upper or lower surface in small pustules called cephalodia. The presence of both photobionts contributes to the photosynthesis of the lichen thallus. About 95% of lichens are bipartite, with a single photosynthetic partner that is either a green alga (around 85%) or a cyanobacterium (around 10%). Another 3-4% of lichens are tripartite, with a green algal photobiont and a cyanobacterium confined to a special structure called a cephalodium.
Lichens are not plants, although they may sometimes appear plant-like. They do not have roots that absorb water and nutrients like plants but instead produce their own energy through photosynthesis. Lichens can be found in a wide variety of habitats and climates and can grow on almost any surface, including bark, leaves, mosses, or other lichens. They are abundant in rainforests and temperate woodlands, where they can be found hanging from branches.
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Lichens are not plants
The alga can survive in salt water and freshwater on its own, and in any environment when part of a lichen relationship. Although cyanobacteria are called blue-green algae, they are actually bacteria and are part of the Monera kingdom. The "blue" in their common name refers to their need to live in water, while "green algae" refers to their photosynthetic abilities. Lichens make their own food from their photosynthetic parts and by absorbing minerals from the environment.
Lichens do not have roots that absorb water and nutrients as plants do, but like plants, they produce their own energy through photosynthesis. When they grow on plants, they do not live as parasites but instead use the plant's surface as a substrate. Lichens can grow on almost any surface, including bark, leaves, mosses, or other lichens, and can even hang from branches in rainforests and temperate woodland.
Lichens are classified according to the species of their fungus, not the species of the algae or cyanobacteria. Lichens are given the same scientific name (binomial name) as the fungus they contain, which may cause some confusion. The alga bears its own scientific name, which has no relationship to the name of the lichen or fungus.
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Lichens are a symbiotic partnership of two separate organisms
The fungus in a lichen can belong to different lineages within the fungal tree of life, including the mushroom-forming fungi (basidiomycetes) and cup fungi (ascomycetes). About 98% of lichens are formed by cup fungi. The alga can be either a green alga or a blue-green alga (cyanobacteria), and many lichens contain both types. Lichens can also include bacteria embedded in their cortex or "skin".
The fungus provides the physical shape and structure of the lichen, known as the lichen thallus. It builds a stable and long-term home for the alga, creating the conditions necessary for their mutualistic relationship. The alga, in turn, provides the fungus with a source of food through photosynthesis. This partnership allows the lichen to gain carbon from an internal symbiotic photosynthetic partner, the alga, which is also known as the photobiont.
Lichens are found all across North America and the world, in a diverse range of habitats and climates. They can grow on almost any surface, including bark, leaves, mosses, and other lichens. Lichens come in various colours, sizes, and forms, and while they may sometimes appear plant-like, they are not plants. Lichens do not have roots like plants but produce their own energy through the photosynthesis of their algal partner.
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Lichens are found all over the world
Lichens come in many colours, sizes, and forms, and are sometimes plant-like, but they are not plants. They may have tiny, leafless branches (fruticose); flat leaf-like structures (foliose); grow crust-like, adhering tightly to a surface (substrate) like a thick coat of paint (crustose); have a powder-like appearance (leprose); or other growth forms. They can be found in almost every habitat and geographic area on the planet, including on bark, leaves, mosses, or other lichens, and hanging from branches in rainforests and temperate woodlands.
Lichens are important ecologically as they provide a mode of survival for algae in harsh environments where they normally cannot survive. They also enable the conversion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into oxygen, and they absorb pollutants in their environment. Lichens have been used by humans for thousands of years for dyeing, medicine, and food. They are also a food source for many animals, such as reindeer, gastropods, nematodes, mites, and springtails.
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Lichens are not similar to mosses
Lichens and mosses are often confused with each other due to their similar size and habitats. They are both small, grow in shaded places, and resemble neither a mushroom nor a vascular plant. They are both also cryptograms, meaning they reproduce without seeds or flowers. However, they are fundamentally different.
Lichens are a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership of two separate organisms: a fungus and an alga. The dominant partner is the fungus, which gives the lichen its thallus shape and fruiting bodies. The alga can be either a green alga or a blue-green alga, otherwise known as cyanobacteria. Many lichens have both types of algae. Lichens do not have roots that absorb water and nutrients as plants do, but they produce their own energy through photosynthesis.
On the other hand, mosses are simple plants. They are multicellular organisms with leaflets made of photosynthetic cells, just as with trees, ferns, and wildflowers. Mosses are included in a group of non-vascular plants called bryophytes. They are believed to be the ancestors of the plants we see today, such as trees, flowers, and ferns. Mosses have plant-like structures that look like and function like leaves, stems, and roots. They absorb water and nutrients directly from their surroundings, which limits their growth.
While lichens and mosses may sometimes look similar, they are not closely related. Lichens are a unique partnership between fungi and algae, while mosses are primitive plants with their own distinct characteristics.
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Frequently asked questions
No, mushrooms are fungi but they are not all lichens. Lichens are a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically with multiple species of fungi. About 98% of lichens are cup fungi, which are different from the mushroom-forming basidiomycetes.
Lichens are a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership of two or more separate organisms, a fungus and an alga and/or cyanobacteria. The fungus provides the physical shape and fruiting bodies, while the alga provides food for the fungus through photosynthesis. Lichens come in many colours, sizes and forms, and are sometimes plant-like, but they are not plants.
Some common examples of lichens include barnacle lichen, found on the bark of living trees, and beard lichen, which is tufty and beard-like and found on branches and trunks in clean-air woodlands. Another example is Cladina arbuscula, also known as reindeer moss, which is rare in Colorado.
Some examples of mushrooms that are not lichens include turkey tail, shelf-like polypores like reishi, morels, and boletes, which are thick fleshy mushrooms found near a specific host tree species.
Mushrooms and lichens both play important roles in ecosystems. Mushrooms, as part of the Fungi kingdom, are widely known for their role in the decomposition of organic matter. Lichens, on the other hand, are important actors in nutrient cycling and are a food source for higher trophic feeders such as reindeer, gastropods and mites.
