Fungus, alga relationship keeps lichen flourishing

Kim Welch, Kelly Perry and Ati Jeffers-Fabro
Special to The Advertiser

Lichen actually is two organisms: a fungus and an alga, growing together and helping each other live. Hawai'i Nature Center

"There must be some fungus here somewhere," said Detective Penny Pinao, scanning the forest floor as she zig-zagged on her strong dragonfly wings.

She and her lizard partner on the Hawai'i Nature Squad, Detective Andy Anole, were searching for the answer to their latest mystery. Billy Bartenstein of Maunawili Elementary school had seen some lichen growing on a tree and wanted to know the difference between a fungus and a lichen.

"Let's ask for directions," Penny said. She was losing her patience with Andy as he stumbled over and under the leaf litter.

"I refuse to ask for directions!" yelled Andy.

Suddenly a tiny voice screeched at Andy, "Hey! Watch where you're stepping!"

Andy jumped with surprise. "Who said that?"

A millipede crawled out of a dead log. "I am Milton Millipede, and you should be careful! That mushroom you almost stepped on is filled with precious cargo."

"I'm sorry," apologized Andy. "I didn't even see it."

"Didn't see it! How could you miss the beautiful stem and bright yellow cap sticking out of this log? This is fungus in its full reproductive glory!"

Just then a strong wind blew through the forest. Out from under the mushroom's cap flew a huge cloud of dust.

"Duck!" yelled Milton. In a few seconds, Penny and Andy came up coughing, wiping their watering eyes. "These spores, released from the mushroom, spread fungus around the forest," the millipede said. "The spores settle on dead logs or soil, and then hair-like threads, called hyphae, start growing. A mushroom forms when the fungus is ready to release more spores and reproduce."

"Wow, you know a lot about these things," Penny said. "Would you know where we could find some lichen?"

"Follow me," said the millipede. The detectives tailed the millipede to a rotting log. Its bark was covered with soft green moss, orange fungi and crusty gray splotches. Waving to the splotches, the millipede announced, "This is lichen."

Andy studied a small piece under his dissecting microscope. "Fantastic!" he yelled. "I see fungal threads, but there's also something extra here."

"Yes," said the millipede. "A lichen actually is two organisms: fungus and alga. They grow together and help each other survive. The fungus collects water and minerals for the alga, and provides protection. The alga, because it's a plant, uses photosynthesis to make food for both itself and the fungus."

"So," said Andy, "Fungi can live by themselves and algae can live by themselves. But if they have each other as roommates, we call it lichen!"

"Exactly," exclaimed the millipede.

Hawai'i Nature Squad is written by Kim Welch, Kelly Perry and Ati Jeffers-Fabro of the Hawai'i Nature Center, an environmental education organization. It alternates in this spot with Dr. Gadget's Science Machine.