What is the substratum, we often ask ourselves when discussing the identification of a lichen, is it basic or acid? Frank Dobson’s Key to Churchyard Lichens is arranged along the lines of substratum. Dobson’s Lichens and Smith et al.’s The Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland, however, also address the association of certain species withContinue reading “Churchyard lichens: substratum and environmental conditions”
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Scratching for Trentepohlia
For anyone used to looking at birds, butterflies or bryophytes, it is hard to perceive that lichens are not one, but two organisms. To put it simple, a lichen is a symbiosis between a fungus species – the mycobiont – and a species of either a green algae or cyanobacterium – the so-called photobiont. AsContinue reading “Scratching for Trentepohlia”
Map addict
I’ll admit it upfront, I’m a bit of a map addict. I have an obsession with landscape and habitats and can spend hours studying distribution map of birds and butterflies – and, of course, lichens. As I started out, I took those maps as given, a reflection of the real distribution of lichen species inContinue reading “Map addict”
The lichens of Muir of Dinnet’s birch and pinewoods
To celebrate the Cairngorms Nature BIG Weekend from 13 to 15 May 2022, I was commissioned by the Cairngorms National Park Authority to write a self-guided walk to explore the lichens of the birch and pinewoods at Muir of Dinnet NNR (managed by NatureScot). The walk follows the Parkin’s Moss Trail (3 miles) which passesContinue reading “The lichens of Muir of Dinnet’s birch and pinewoods”
Fowlsheugh: lichens in a seabird colony
In May, the coastal cliffs of the RSPB reserve at Fowlsheugh are like an overcrowded apartment block that rises from a choppy pavement all the way up to a buzzing sky. Binoculars in hand, I spent quite some time distracted by the squabbles and rumours squashes that unfold beneath me. The volunteer warden looks slightlyContinue reading “Fowlsheugh: lichens in a seabird colony”
Xanthoria parietina’s golden shields
Wall lichen, yellow wall lichen, common yellow wall-lichen, common yellow wall-moss, yellow crotal, maritime starburst lichen – there are not many lichen species that can boast to have six common names. Needless to say, the English names for the species have yet to be standardised, but they do capture the ubiquitous, eye-catching and saxicolous characterContinue reading “Xanthoria parietina’s golden shields”
Churchyard lichens along the Don
Late last summer I decided to learn more about churchyard lichens so I visited a few a stone throw from my home in North-East Scotland and had a trip to some rural and coastal churchyards in Kincardineshire. Given the clear descriptions of churchyard assemblages in Oliver Gilbert’s book Lichens and the arrangement of keys byContinue reading “Churchyard lichens along the Don”
New beginnings: lichen colonisation
Mostly, the presence of lichens is something I take for granted, but every now and again I find myself wonder how lichens reached a certain tree or rock. Take that young shoot of dogrose, perhaps a year or two old, that is covered in an intricate mosaic of Lecanora chlarotera, Lecidella elaeochroma and Arthonia radiata.Continue reading “New beginnings: lichen colonisation”
scottishlichens.co.uk 