365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Wet And Dry
Day 139: These two photos were taken only three days apart, and they point up one of the issues lichenologists have to face when they're trying to make an identification. A specimen can look very different depending on whether it's wet or dry. Lobaria pulmonaria (Lung Lichen), a common species on Mount Rainier National Park's wet west side, is known for its bright green colour and the ridges which texture its lobes. However, when it dries out, it appears almost grey. A rain shower is all it needs to perk it back up, though. Moisture settles into the network on its upper surface and quickly revitalizes the algae which provide its distinctive hue.
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