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Korea Biodiversity Information System > Fungi/Lichen Resource > Lichen Classes
Lichen is a fungus that is symbiotic with algae and can live in almost all environments on the Earth, from polar regions to the equator, from 0m to 8,000m above sea level, and can live on the surface of trees and rocks.
About 14,000 species are distributed around the world, and it has long been used throughout the world as a medicinal, edible, and ornamental resource.
Umbilicaria esculenta is one well-known example of an edible lichen.
Lichen has not yet been utilized for industrial purposes.
First and second metabolites from lichen are known to be effective medicinal resources.
In addition, almost all these chemical substances are possessed only by lichen, and it is known that they are produced by the lichen-forming fungi.
Lichen is found in broad range of habitats.
They are distributed in dry deserts, on coasts, in mountains, and even in the Arctic region.
They can survive in any harsh condition on Earth. More than 350 different species of lichen can be found in the Antarctic region, and seven species of lichen exist in extremely close proximity to the South Pole.
The reason lichen can survive in extremely harsh temperatures and climates is because they can discard their internal moisture very rapidly and become dry.
Although photosynthesis stops, it does not die, but goes into dormancy.
They can survive in this state for very long time and temperature and humidity have absolutely no effect to them.
When lichen is exposed to the appropriate humidity and temperature, it can expend three to 35 times its body weight in water, become soft again, and restart photosynthesis.
The photosynthesis rate of lichen is directly related to its moisture content.
Photosynthesis reaches a peak when the lichen retains 65-90% of its potential maximum water content.
Thus, the moisture content controls the photosynthesis rate of lichen, and this rate is not stable and is variable.
Therefore, the growth rate of lichen is very low; it usually grows about 0.1mm-10mm a year.
Lichen can prosper in biospheres such as taiga, the southern region of tundra that consists of coniferous forests (colonies of gymnosperms).
However, lichen is found in abundance in other regions and forests outside of taiga.
