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| Edgewood Gold Eye Lichen ( Teloschistes chrysophthalmus) |
Freddie Fungus and Alice Algae took a lichen to each other.
It was an old-style relationship.
Freddie provided the house.
Alice made all the food.
Hunh?
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Fungus can't photosynthesize, but they can make structures.
Algae are great at photosynthesizing, converting solar energy and carbon dioxide into food. They need a place to hang out.
Lichen, like the Edgewood Gold Eye above, are a combination of fungus and algae. The fungus provides a place for the algae to live, and the algae makes nourishment for both of them.
It's symbiosis at it's best.
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Web Resources
Really good Explanation of Lichens and discussion of the impact of pollution and toxins on them
