lichen-moss-info-2

LICHENS - MOSSES

PG.2

The Boreal Felt Lichen (endangered) grows on the branches or trunks of Balsam Fir, Black Spruce, White Spruce, or very occasionally Red Maple trees. This �leafy� lichen is typically 2 to 5 cm in diameter, but it occasionally grows as large as 10 cm. The edges of the body of the lichen are slightly curled up, exposing the whitish underside. Overall the lichen appears either bluish grey (when it is well hydrated) or dark grey to greyish brown (when it is dry). Lichens are unusual creatures. A lichen is not a single organism as most other living things are; rather it is a combination of two organisms that coexist in a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship. Most of the lichen is composed of fungal filaments, but living among the filaments are cells of a blue-green alga. Habitat :Typical habitat for the Boreal Felt Lichen is northerly exposed forested slopes where cool and moist conditions prevail throughout most of the year. These mature forest sites are also rich in moisture-loving species such as sphagnum mosses and Cinnamon Fern. In well-lit forests, the Boreal Felt Lichen is found predominantly on tree trunks' whereas in more shaded habitats it is found mostly on branches. Biology :The Boreal Felt Lichen is long-lived, and the average age at which adults reproduce is about 30 years. Growth of a new lichen individual is the result of interaction between the spores of a mature lichen and an alga that is present in the environment. This alga is found in the water sacs of a small liverwort plant that also grows on the surface of the same trees as the lichen, and it has been suggested that new lichen individuals can only develop inside these liverwort plants. The presence of this alga makes the lichen particularly sensitive to acid rain and other pollutants. When the lichen grows on the particularly acidic bark of spruce trees, it has a reduced ability to survive when stressed by acidic air pollutants (compared to when it grows on fir trees). The sensitivity of the Boreal Felt Lichen to airborne pollutants could make it a good indicator species for air quality. The Boreal Felt Lichen has been called the �Panda Bear� of the lichens. International interest in this ancient life form has resulted in an appeal from the International Association of Lichenology to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for the protection of the lichen and its habitat.

The Seaside Centipede Lichen (endangered) is a tiny, semi-erect, cushion-forming, leafy lichen. It averages 2 cm across. Its sparse, stiff lobes are small, thin (0.5 to 2 mm wide), and irregularly branched. The lichen's upper surface is strongly convex, mostly dull and smooth, with occasional scattered warts and whitish spots. The top is usually pale greenish-white, sometimes bluish-black in colour, while the lower surface is white and cottony. Distinguishing features are urn-shaped outgrowths and tiny hair-like structures on its margins. Habitat :Its complex habitat requirements include continuous high humidity, good air circulation, moderate temperatures, and shelter from open exposure. Habitat requirements are so complex, in fact, that the species is restricted to Sitka Spruce twigs. These Sitkas are located in the lower canopy of seaside old-growth hemlock forests. Forests are in sheltered locations where the climate is highly oceanic and markedly humid. Biology :The organs of the Seaside Centipede Lichen are no longer capable of producing the viable spores necessary for sexual reproduction. Instead, the plant reproduces vegetatively but retains its sexual traits. Soredia are enclosed in urn-shaped growths in young plants. The enclosure makes seed dispersal difficult. Growths are more flexible when plants are fully mature. The flexibility allows seeds to become exposed to wind, water and animals for dispersal. The delay may partly explain species' rarity.

The Incurved Grizzled Moss (EXTIRPATED) is a small, cushion-forming moss. It grows in 2-to-6-mm-high tufts on rocky surfaces, and varies in colour from yellowish-brown to blackish-green. The leaves are curled when dry, and upright, spreading, and somewhat incurved when moist. Habitat :The Incurved Grizzled Moss grows in the eastern deciduous forest, on both calcareous (containing calcium carbonate) and non-calcareous rocks. It is commonly found on the surface, and in small crevices, of boulders in open hardwood forests. It is occasionally observed at the base of trees or on logs. Incurved Grizzled Moss also frequently becomes established on man-made structures such as rock walls and gravestones. Biology :Since the Incurved Grizzled Moss does not show a preference for rocks based on their chemistry (calcareous versus non-calcareous), it seems unlikely that nutrition limits its distribution. The Incurved Grizzled Moss has both sperm- and egg-producing organs on the same plant. Self-fertilization is therefore possible, eliminating the need for male and female plants to occur close to each other in order to produce spores and propagate new plants. Vegetative (non-sexual) spread is apparently rare for this moss, and is consistent with its preference for discrete habitats such as rocks and crevices that are interspersed with unfavourable habitat. The moss produces eggs that are incapable of moving independently; water is required for sperm to be able to reach them. The fertilized egg later produces spores that are spread by the wind. When the spores germinate and start to grow, they are sensitive to drying out and require high humidity. The leafy plants produced in the next stage of the moss�s life cycle are more robust, and better able to withstand the lack of protection from the elements and the variable humidity characteristic of rocky habitats.

The Margined Streamside Moss (ENDANGERED) is a relatively large, cushion-forming moss that grows in dark green or yellowish-brown to blackish tufts. Its stems are frequently branched and range in length from 6 to 10 cm. The leaves are lance-shaped, 2.5 to 4 mm long, and about 1 mm wide. Habitat :Margined Streamside Moss grows on rocks, particularly granite, in streams. It may be exposed or submerged, and is found at a range of elevations. The population found in southern British Columbia was on wet rocks at an elevation of 1300 m. In the United States, it is usually mixed with the more common Scouleria aquatica and requires clean water and cool temperatures.Biology :Little is known about the biology of the Margined Streamside Moss. It is dioicous: the male and female reproductive units are on separate plants � and it apparently does not reproduce vegetatively. The dioicous nature is known to limit the production of spores (the reproductive body from which a new plant arises) in many species of moss. Without spore production, it is impossible for a species to spread. When spores are produced, they are likely dispersed by water or possibly wind.
The Margined Streamside Moss is often found with the closely related Scouleria aquatica. The two species apparently have similar habitat requirements, and the Margined Streamside Moss may get out-competed in some areas. This may partially account for the restricted range of the Margined Streamside Moss.