lime green map lichen on dry stone walls Lake District Cumbria England
A dry stone wall in Cumbria, England. Widely used in Northern Britain as a stock-proof boundary to sheep or cattle pastures. The materials used vary with availability. These are quarry stone or slate. The surface of a dry stone wall is a harsh environment. This one supports a variety of crustose lichens, the mostly the lime-green Rhizocarpon geographicum, or map lichen. Lichens are the result of a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga; this partnership is able to withstand conditions of drought and extremes of temperature that would be fatal to either constituent on its own.
Size: 3456px × 5184px
Location: Lake District Cumbria England
Photo credit: © Adrian Weston / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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