Last updated: August 2, 2022
Place
Along the Way #4
Quick Facts
Location:
40.443275, -111.706486
Looks Like Lichen
Look carefully at the rocks around you. Have you noticed the white, brown, green, and orange spots growing on the rocks? This is called lichen. Moss also grows along the trail.
Lichen comes in many colors and is scale-like while moss is green and spongy. A lichen is made of two different organisms working together - a fungus and an algae. The fungi provides protection and the algae provide food through photosynthesis. Anywhere you see lichen growth you can know the air is clean. Lichen can't grow in polluted air. They are also produce an acid that helps break rocks down into dirt.
Fun Fact! There are over 20,000 types of lichen found on Earth!