Have you ever noticed the strange, colorful splotches clinging to rocks, tree bark, or even old fences after a rainy day?

Lichens are a partnership between fungus and algae, but recent research discovered they also have yeast and bacteria. News Sports Life & Events Advertise Obituaries eNewspaper Legals LOCAL ...

Many lichens are composed of layers of fungus and algae. I like to picture this as an algae sandwich, with the fungus being the bread and the algae the peanut butter and jelly.

Now that deciduous trees are bare, trunks and branches have taken center stage, and you might be noticing nuances and irregularities that evaded your attention over the summer. For instance, what are ...

The algae and cyanobacteria contain chlorophyll and make food through photosynthesis; the fungi furnish structure, shelter, water and minerals. In these symbiotic relationships, lichens live ...

While they're sometimes mistaken for moss, lichens are miniature ecosystems made up of a fungus and algae or bacteria that can make energy from sunlight, living together in one body.

Lichens show a special relationship between species. When the fungus adopts this new life, the fungus cultivates the algae and the fungus builds a body, now that the algae can be exposed to the light.

The fungus protects the algae, and provides the lichen's structure. Lichen can also act as a sort of air conditioner for the forest: it stores and releases moisture, making the air wet, dry, warm ...

The fungus protects the algae, and provides the lichen's structure. Lichen can also act as a sort of air conditioner for the forest: it stores and releases moisture, making the air wet, dry, warm ...

The grey patches are likely lichen, a combination of a fungus and an algae. It is harmless to you and the tree. It is common ...