Much of the Sioux Quartzite in the Monument is covered by lichens.
N.Barber
Lichens
Lichens are an important part of the prairie ecosystem and cover roughly 8% of the earth's surface. Unlike moss, which are flowerless plants, lichens are a symbiotic organism consisting of fungi and either algae or cyanobacteria (or sometimes both). The fungi surround and protect the algae from the elements while the algae provide the fungi with food via photosynthesis.
Over the course of centuries, these unassuming but powerful organisms turn rocks into soil - just like they're currently doing to the Sioux Quartzite at Pipestone National Monument.This is due to both the lichen's acids and their fungal threads penetrating the rocks. They are resilient enough to grow in extreme conditions just about anywhere (rocks, trees, soil, etc.) and once they find a home, they take their time to move in. It can take 100 years for lichens to spread an inch or less, and some lichens have been found which are over 3,000 years old.
Whether it's as food, medicine, dyes, animal nests, or environmental indicators, lichens serve a host of useful purposes! Learn more about these incredible organisms in the articles below:
Locations:Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Offices:Inventory and Monitoring Division, North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network, North Coast and Cascades Research Learning Center
At Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, staff are developing a plan that will help restore the park’s degraded prairies, wetlands, dunes, and coastal forests. To better tailor this ongoing restoration effort, they needed to know more about the species that reside in the park, including bryophytes and lichens.
At Lava Beds National Monument, a species inventory helps park managers understand the rich diversity of lichens in the park, allowing them to craft management strategies to preserve lichens. Located in a semi-arid zone of northern California, cave lichens represent a unique floral component for the region and include many rare or little-known species.
The Midden is the Resource Management Newsletter of Great Basin National Park, published each summer and winter. Find out the latest going on at Great Basin National Park, Nevada in resource management and research. The Midden - Great Basin National Park: Vol. 15, No. 1, Summer 2015.
In 1955 a lichenologist named Henry Imshaug climbed to the top of Wheeler Peak to inventory the alpine lichens. His study was part of a larger research project involving 92 alpine areas across western North America. This past autumn, we began revisiting Imshaug’s sites to evaluate whether alpine lichens have responded to climate change during the past 60 years, and if so, investigate methods for using lichens as biomonitors of climate change in alpine areas.
The Midden is the Resource Management Newsletter of Great Basin National Park, published each summer and winter. Find out the latest going on at Great Basin National Park, Nevada in resource management and research. The Midden - Great Basin National Park: Vol. 17, No. 2, Winter 2017.
Locations:Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Great Falls Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, National Mall and Memorial Parks, Prince William Forest Park, Rock Creek Parkmore »
Lichens are durable enough to grow on tree bark and bare rock, yet are sensitive to pollution and air quality. One species in particular was used to track levels of air-borne lead over a 100 year period!
The Lichen BioBlitz held July 17-19, 2017 at Great Basin National Park (GBNP) attracted roughly 50 participants. In addition to a handful of professional biologists who specialize in lichens, the participants came from a wide range of backgrounds and included some youth and a few local residents. Most of the participants had little or no prior knowledge of lichens but all brought an enthusiasm for natural history and an interest in learning.
The Midden is the Resource Management Newsletter of Great Basin National Park, published each summer and winter. Find out the latest going on at Great Basin National Park, Nevada in resource management and research. The Midden - Great Basin National Park: Vol. 19, No. 1, Summer 2019
When a lichen that had been known only from Antarctica and the High Arctic, Lecidea andersonii, turned up in collections made in Great Basin National Park during a BioBlitz in 2017, it became clear how little is known about lichen diversity and distributions in the Great Basin.
Lichen is a bioindicator for changing climates, meaning it is sensitive to shifts in the environment. With over 600 species of lichen on Isle Royale, how would losing the organisms impact the island's ecosystem?
