There's Much to Like About Lichens!!

photo credit~~ http://www.imagekind.com/

What is this magical forest? It's just a close image of lichens!                              

You may have seen lichens on a branch and dismissed them as a fungus. Actually, they are similar to fungi, but different in a few ways. They are a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga(singular for algae).

There are 3 major types of lichens: Crustose, fruticose, and foliose. Crustose lichen is named for its crust-like appearance. Fruticose lichen is in a bush-shape. Foliose lichen is the most common, and resembles leaves, but just in a greenish-gray color.

Fruticose lichen

Foliose lichen

Crustose lichen
Symbiosis is a relationship between two organisms, in which both organisms benefit from each other. How is the relationship between fungi and algae symbiotic? Read on to find out.  The algal cells carry out photosynthesis, and, just like plants, they reduce carbon dioxide into organic carbon sugars to feed both it and its fungal partner. The fungal partner protects the alga by retaining water, serving as a larger capture area for mineral nutrients and, in some cases, provides minerals obtained from the substrate.Both gain water and mineral nutrients mainly from the atmosphere, simply by  rain and dust. However, there still is a major symbiotic relationship.