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soot lichen
Scientific Name: Cyphelium
Family: Caliciaceae
Category: Lichen
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Soot Lichen: A Natural Indicator of Air Quality
Soot lichens, belonging to the Cyphelium genus, are fascinating organisms that offer valuable insights into environmental health. Often overlooked due to their small size, these lichens are sensitive to air pollution, making them natural indicators of air quality.
Considerations for Pets
Some Soot Lichens grow on wood that may be charred.
Scientific Classification and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Cyphelium (with various species, including Cyphelium notarisii, Cyphelium inquinans, Cyphelium lucidum, Cyphelium tigillare, Cyphelium pinicola, Cyphelium brunneum, and Cyphelium karelicum)
- Common Name: Soot Lichen (also Yellow Soot Lichen for some species)
- Kingdom: Fungi
- Phylum: Ascomycota
- Family: Caliciaceae
- Synonyms: Cyphelium inquinans (Sm.) Trevis. is a synonym for Soot Lichen
Distribution and Habitat
Soot lichens are found in:
- Europe
- North America
- Specific locations like the North Shore of Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada
They typically grow on wood, including charred pine stumps, and can be found on older trees where soot deposits accumulate.
Ecological Role
These lichens are sensitive to air pollution and can be used as indicators of air quality. They are negatively affected by soot and other pollutants, and their presence or absence can reflect the environmental health of an area.
Morphological Characteristics
- Soot lichens are lichenised fungi.
- The fruiting bodies are small and disc-shaped, resembling cup-fungi but are solitary and black.
- Some species, like Cyphelium lucidum and Cyphelium tigillare, exhibit yellow areoles.
- They are often crustose, meaning they form a crust-like layer on the substrate.
- Many lichens are so small that you need a magnifying glass to see them.
Quirky Facts
- Soot lichens are so sensitive to air pollution that their presence or absence can be used as an indicator of environmental health.
- Before the Industrial Revolution, silvery lichen covered the tree trunks of trees across England.