LICHEN MONITORING-

LICHEN MONITORING-

Lichens are dual organisms formed by a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga. They are also referred to as composite plants. They often grow in tropical and temperate climates. They require moisture, a reasonable temperature, sunshine, and a clean environment. They can be found on leaves, tree trunks, and exposed rocks. Lichens are intriguing composite creatures that originated and varied as a result of a symbiotic relationship between algae and fungus. The connected entity grows at a pace of l-5 mm per year on their substratum and can live for tens or hundreds of years. Lichen growth types are generally visible on the substrates, generating grey, green, dark brown, and orange patches. They are divided into three primary categories depending on their morphology and size: crustose (crust-like), foliose (leaf-like), and fruticose (shrubby). The lichens in the first group are known as microlichens, whereas the lichens in the second and third categories are known as macrolichens. Lichens are an essential component of the forest ecosystem because they contribute to succession, the food chain, and nutrient cycling. However, in the modern day, numerous environmental and cultural pressures on trees, such as tree cutting, grazing, forest fires, air pollution, and so on, pose a threat to several lichens. Deforestation has been regarded as one of the most serious threats to Indian forest lichen flora. Thus, comprehensive efforts are required to detect and monitor the real impact of these land use changes on lichen abundance and variety. Lichens growing on tree trunks and fallen lichens are good markers of ecosystem operation, and their higher environmental stability requirements make them very sensitive indicators of overall ecosystem functioning and diverse environmental perturbations.