Episode 12. Talking about Lichens with Vanessa Ryan - Part 2
We continue our chat with Vanessa Ryan on the fascinating world of lichens. In this episode, we learn about the role of lichens in ecosystems and pollution monitoring, how and why lichens fluoresce under ultraviolet light, and much more.
Lichens fluorescing under 365nm ultraviolet light. Photo credit: Vanessa Ryan
Resources and Links
An overview of lichens on the FungiMap website: Lichens
Interesting article on high lichen diversity in the tropics with a focus on Costa Rica, including discussion on using UV light at night: The Enchanted Jungle, FUNGI Volume 7:2-3 Summer 2014, LR1 V7I2 28-31 Jungle.pdf
Vanessa Ryan has a great presentation on Lichens available from the Queensland Mycological Society’s uploads on Youtube - check it out here, The Wonderful World of Lichens
Vanessa has also produced two handy booklets for anyone interested in learning more about lichens. They can be downloaded for free from the Queensland Mycological Society’s website. Look for the Downloads page, under the References tab.
A Beginner’s Guide to Identifying Lichens in Queensland, Vanessa Ryan, 2023. Queensland Mycological Society.
A Beginner’s Guide to Collecting Lichens in Queensland, Vanessa Ryan, 2023. Queensland Mycological Society.
Lichen photography with a smartphone - this is a handy guide produced by the Ohio Moss and Lichen Association