Last updated: March 31, 2023
Article
Climate Change at Isle Royale: Lichen
Over 600 species of lichens are found on Isle Royale. These peculiar organisms add beauty and diversity to the forest, as well as fulfilling many needs in the island’s ecosystem. Perhaps the most impressive achievement of lichen is its interspecies teamwork – lichens are not plants at all; they’re formed from a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae. However, climate change threatens to disrupt this relationship, throwing the survival of lichens into question.
Jonathan Ringdahl
Climate Concerns
Lichens are known as bioindicators, meaning they are one of the first species to change when an environment shifts. Because of their sensitive nature, they are of great interest to scientists when measuring climactic changes. Research has shown climate change projections far outpace lichen’s ability to adapt – especially if the algae and fungi that came together to form a certain species adapts at different rates. Some studies suggest it could take thousands, if not millions, of years for lichen to adjust to a changing climate.
On Isle Royale, losing lichens would be detrimental to the ecosystem that relies on them. Lichen plays numerous roles in an environment – they absorb moisture, stabilize soil, prevent erosion, remove carbon from the air, and provide a crucial food source for moose while overwintering. Eventually, their carbon rich bodies decompose back into the soil.
Some lichens will be able to escape climate change to more hospitable environments. But others, especially cold-adapted species that are already living near their climate limit, are likely to succumb to warming temperatures.