Lichen or Lychen?

Question

What is a Lichen? what are three consumers that the lichen benifits?

Answer 1

A lichen is an autotrophic ( it has the ability to produce organic material from inorganic chemicals and a source of energy, the sun) , symbiotic organism composed of green algae or blue-green algae  and fungal tissue ( usually Ascomycetes ).

There is some debate on the nature of this relationship, but most agree the alga and the fungus both benefit from this arrangement.

The alga manufactures simple sugars and vitamins that both, the alga and the fungus can live from and in return the fungal cells, anchored to the substrate with hairlike growths (rhizines), form the base and protect the algal cells from environmental extremes.

Lichens do not have roots, stems and leaves, so they absorb most of their nutrients from rainfall.Lichens can be found almost anywhere worldwide.

Lichens are extremely hardy, slow growers and often pioneer species.

Lichens are consumed by mites, springtails, some snails ( Caracolus sagemoon e. g.), reindeer and European bison f.e.