365Caws is now in its 16th year of publication. If I am unable to post daily, I hope readers who love the natural world and fiberarts will seize those days to read the older material. Remember that this has been my journey as well, so you may find errors in my identifications of plants. I have tried to correct them as I discover them. Likewise, I have refined fiberarts techniques and have adjusted recipes, so search by tags to find the most current information. And thank you for following me!
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Lichenized!
Day 143: Contrary to popular belief, most lichens do not damage the trees on which they live. The fact is, trees under stress from disease or climatological influences are more likely to provide physical niches in which lichens may grow. Organic material and dust particles collect in the cracks of damaged bark, and over time, become the medium in which lichens may take hold. The association between dying trees and the presence of lichens is clear, but the relationship is often misinterpreted. The lichens are misconstrued as the cause of the tree's declining health instead of being a symptom of it. Why, then, do some types of lichen grow on one type of tree and not on another? Lichens' preferences for certain types of tree are due to a number of different factors: acidity, persistence of light/shade, bark porosity, etc. When the species' requirements are met in the proper combination, lichenization will occur.
Labels:
lichenization,
Nisqually-Mashell State Park,
Usnea
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