SafePlants

Soot Lichen: A Detailed Overview

Soot lichen refers to various species within the genus Cyphelium, characterized as lichenized fungi. These lichens often serve as indicators of air quality due to their sensitivity to pollution.

Considerations for Pets

• This lichen often grows on wood in areas where smoke is present.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Several species exist within the genus Cyphelium, including:
  • Cyphelium notarisii
  • Cyphelium pinicola
  • Cyphelium lucidum
  • Cyphelium karelicum
  • Cyphelium brunneum
  • Cyphelium tigillare
  • Cyphelium inquinans
• Common Name: Soot Lichen
• Family: Caliciaceae
• Kingdom: Fungi
• Synonyms: Cyphelium inquinans (Sm.) Trevis.

Distribution and Habitat

• Soot lichens are found in Europe and North America.
• They typically grow on wood, often in areas affected by smoke and soot deposits.
• Specific locations mentioned include Ontario, Canada and Idaho.

Ecological Role

• Soot lichens are natural indicators of air pollution.
• They are sensitive to soot and other pollutants. Their presence or absence, and even their color, can indicate the level of pollution in an environment.
• The text describes how certain areas once covered with silvery lichen became dominated by soot, and how soot killed lichen, especially during the Industrial Revolution.

Morphological Characteristics

• The fruiting bodies are small and disc-shaped.
• Some species, such as yellow soot lichen (Cyphelium lucidum, Cyphelium tigillare), exhibit yellow areoles (small, colored areas on the surface).
• Cyphelium tigillare has black apothecia (fruiting bodies) immersed in the thallus (the main body of the lichen).
• Many soot lichens are small, requiring magnification for detailed observation.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Soot lichens compete with other organisms like mosses and algae, which prefer humid environments.

Quirky Facts

• One species, Cyphelium pinicola 'Yellow Soot Lichen', has been observed growing on the wood of a charred pine stump.
• Soot lichen is so sensitive to its environment that the peppered moth evolved its coloration based on the presence or absence of soot and lichen on trees.