Diversity in Black and Green

 Fencepost of the Week #249

 A beguiling assemblage of lichens on this post betwixt field and forest.

 

Crowned in Sticta

 Fencepost of the Week #248

 Sticta sylvatica thriving in a damp, shady corner of the paddock.

 

Bilberry Webs

 Fencepost of the Week #247

 

Minutely Fruticose Jelly Lichens

 Trying to make sense of some superficially minutely fruticose, corticolous jelly lichens in Cowal. 

Working primarily from the BLS Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland 3 pdfs

 

Row 1 entire organism

Row 2 surface structure (width ~3mm)

Row 3 cross section from near substrate (bottom left) to surface (top right)

Row 4  cells of the cortex (width ~150µm)

Column 1: this is Scytinium lichenoides with well developed isidia, I think. 

Column 2: also S. lichenoides. The isidia are so thick that the foliose thallus in completely hidden. But proves to be structurally similar when cut open.

Column 3: Is this Scytinium teretiusculum or a cyanomorph of Ricasolia amplissima?

Column 4: Ricasolia amplissima cephalodium

I've just found a paper describing a cyanomorph of Ricasolia virens. Column 3 conforms very closely to the description given here: The cyanomorph of Ricasolia virens comb. nov. (Lobariaceae, lichenized Ascomycetes) DOI: 10.5962/p.386096

Upland Post

 Fencepost of the Week #246

 Lichens in abundance on this upland post.

 

Billowing Green Moss

 Fencepost of the Week #245

 

 

Glenan Boulder Project

Aim: to track changes in lichen & bryophyte coverage on several boulders in the Glenan nature reserve over the years.

We propose to use photogrammetry to scan selected rocks anually; successive scans will be combined to produce 2d / 3d animations depicting the changes in vegetation cover over time.

 Meet the rocks:

Archie: One of the few places on the reserve where Ricasolia virens grows. Also with some Lobarina scrobiculata mixed in.

 

 

Brad: Right next to the path, just inside the woods. Brad has Nephroma laveigatum and patchy moss coverage. A small holly tree stands beside them, and there is a substantial void beneath.

 

 

Chuck: On flat ground, away from the the cliffs. Chuck has good bryophyte coverage - a lot of tamarisk moss on top (and drifting oak leaves), but also some leafy liverworts round the sides.

 

 

Doug: well up in a jumble of coarse talus, Doug is multifaceted - including some overhaging surfaces.

 

 

 

Ernest: a steep, roof-wise rock; less mossy than most of thier peers.

 

 

 

 

Frank: with a well-defined border of flat, leaf litter all around; Frank is a massive boulder with four sides - each with a different pattern of moss, lichen and liverwort coverage.

 

 

 

Greg: a fairly small, low boulder, almost completely covered in tamarisk moss, with some over-growing honeysuckle. 

 

 

Hugh: in a broad field of similar rocks; in the shade of the wide, spreading boughs of large oak.

 

Ivor: has a good variety of bryophytes - including some haircap moss, but also some small tufts of grass showing. Perhaps Ivor is on their way to becoming turfed over?

Jake: beyond the Glenan burn, Jake nestles under a hazel well away from most human visitors.

 

 

3D Scan VR Showcase:

 

 

3d scan of Frank embedded in a webpage: