LICHENS AND AIR POLLUTION

WELCOME! BEM-VINDOS! TO ECOLOGICAL DAY!

1. Sonia - Leaves of Grass2. Eduardo P.L.3. lizete vicari4. expresso da linha5. Pietro Brosio6. Elma - Caliandra do Cerrado7. Louise8. Louise9. noVÍ tá10. Paz's New York Minute11. Luci Lacey12. Adelino13. mischiefmari
14. Gepetto15. Maria Augusta16. JU Gioli17. Elizabeth schmid18. Luma Rosa19. Elizabeth20. Leandro Neres21. Denise BC22. Luiz Ramos23. Luiz Ramos24. ADRIANA MACEDO25. Rachel26. Long Island Daily Photo
27. Marcos Santos28. Miriam Salles29. Lídia - Silêncio Culpado30. Paula Martha31. Francine Esqueda32. vz33. Lucia Helena34. Astrid Annabelle35. tumbleweed36. Words about Water37.
You're next!

Do you see "this" in your garden or neighborhood? If your answer is YES, luck you! There is no air pollution around you!

Você vê "isto" em seu jardim ou redondezas? Se sua resposta for SIM, sorte sua! O ar está limpo e não há poluição!

Lichens are a successful alliance between a fungus and an alga. Each doing what it does best, and thriving as a result of a natural cooperation. They live as one organism, both inhabiting the same body. ""Many lichens are very sensitive to pollution in the air. When there are too many harmful things in the air, lichens die. If you live where there are many lichens it probably means the air is clean. But, if there are only a few lichens in your neighborhood, the air you are breathing is probably clogged with automobile fumes or industrial wastes.

Lichens are capable of inhabiting several ecosystems, due to their versatility, despite of the environmental conditions. They can live on rocks, ground, rind of trees, trunks and wood. Lichens are very good bio-indicators to survey the air pollution.

So, Lichens are important in many ways: Lichens are sensitive to pollution in the air and can tell us if the air is clear and clean; Drug companies make antibiotics from lichen substances; Some lichens make nitrogen in the air usable to plants; Lichens are homes for spiders, mites, lice and other insects; Lichens can be used as a natural dye to color wool; People eat lichens (careful - a few are poisonous, so don't experiment without adult help).

Os Líquens são seres vivos muito simples que se desenvolvem como lâminas ou placas de várias cores na superfície de árvores ou de pedras, expostas à umidade e ao sol. São geralmente estudados pelos botânicos, apesar de não serem verdadeiras plantas. Os líquens são uma simbiose – um organismo formado por um fungo (o micobionte) e uma alga ou cianobactéria (o fotobionte). Os líquens são muito sensíveis à poluição do ar. Quando há muitos poluentes no ar os líquens morrem. Se você mora num ambiente onde há muitos líquens, isso significa que o ar está limpo e não há poluição. Os líquens são indicadores biológicos importantes que permitem uma avaliação da qualidade do ambiente.

Os Líquens proliferam nos substractos mais variados: sobre rochas, solo, casca das árvores e madeira. Vivem em ambientes onde nem fungos nem as algas se desenvolveriam. Assim, toleram condições climáticas extremas. Os líquens, apesar de suportarem os rigores ambientais, são extremamente sensíveis aos agentes poluentes, podendo indicar a qualidade do ar e até a quantidade de metais pesados em áreas industriais, o que explica a não ocorrência destes seres vivos nas grandes cidades.

Outra utilidade dos líquens: eles são comestíveis, mas cuidado porque alguns são venenosos, assim não os experimente sem a ajuda de um expert no assunto. As indústrias farmacêuticas usam os líquens na fabricação de remédios e os líquens também podem ser usados para colorir lãs e tecidos.


Photos taken by myself in my garden
Click on photos to enlarge and to see better!

LICHEN AND FUNGI

Despite its lively color, this butterfly you see on the tree trunk is dead. I found its lifeless body at the floor of my porch and I decided to photograph this beautiful insect to the side of the lichens.

"Lichens are a successful alliance between a fungus and an alga. Each doing what it does best, and thriving as a result of a natural cooperation. They live as one organism, both inhabiting the same body. "

"Many lichens are very sensitive to pollution in the air. When there are too many harmful things in the air, lichens die. If you live where there are many lichens it probably means the air is clean. But, if there are only a few lichens in your neighborhood, the air you are breathing is probably clogged with automobile fumes or industrial wastes."

Lichens are capable of inhabiting several ecosystems, due to their versatility, despite of the environmental conditions. They can live on rocks, ground, rind of trees, trunks and wood. Lichens are very good bio-indicators to survey the air pollution.

I think this organism above is Fungi, not Lichen. Fungi help to recycle fallen timber and organic debris. Is it Rainbow Fungi or Coral Fungi? Perhaps someone can help me with this doubt!

"Humans have learned to use lichens in many useful ways. People eat lichens (careful a few are poisonous, so don't experiment without expert help). Drug companies make antibiotics from lichen substances. One of the most creative things people do with lichens is make dyes to color wool. "

...............

All photos were taken by me in my garden

...................................

Update 1: Dyeing with Lichens & Mushrooms: Human beings have been used lichens for over 4,000 years in dyeing. The Romans produced a purple dye from lichens for their togas. In Scotland the traditional kilts were dyed from lichen extracts while native American Indians use lichen dyes for colour in their rugs. You can see this issue here , here and here .

Update 2: My friend Gisela, from Guildwood Village on The Lake kindly solve my doubt about Lichen and Fungi. As you can see here, "my" Fungi is Coral Fungi. If you want to see another beautiful photos of Fungi, Lichen and Mushroom, click on those Gisela's post: here, here, here, here, here and here. Thank you so much Gisela!