Integrative Natural History of Amnicon Falls State Park, Part 1: Let's Launch This with a Little Lichenology | Wisconsin, USA
(Updated July 28, 2024)
Looking at a community of lichens growing quite happily on a basalt outcrop strewn with pine-needle duff, not far from Snake Pit Falls.
In this extended series on one of America's greatest state parks, I'm going absolutely bonkers. In coming months I'll post as many of my numerous photos of this site as I possibly can, even if they're near-duplicates, because because this place in far-northwestern Wisconsin happens to be situated in a remarkable place, both geologically and botanically. For more on the dramatic geology, check out Part 2.
In this shot, however, the focus is on the branch of botany devoted to the identification and study of those amazing composite organisms, the lichens. The more one explores their world, which extends to so many different climates and habitats, one can't help wondering whether they're this planet's dominant form of life.
While more than one species is present, my attention rests squarely on the fine specimen of Crater Lichen (Diploschistes scruposus) at center. In my experience, it's often a pale, ashen gray. In this case, though, it's tinged green. perhaps because it was wetted by a recent shower and so had its photosynthetic component, most likely green algae, activated.
The pen, a temporary addition to the scene, was placed there for scale. The basalt underneath belongs to the Chengwatana Volcanic Group, which has been dated to about 1.1 Ga. It's part of the massive outflow of mafic lava produced by the Midcontinent Rift late in the Mesoproterozoic era. We'll have much more to say about that titanic structural feature in later images of this set.
And, by the bye, the browned needles seem to be in fascicles or bundles of five, which means they fell from nearby Eastern White Pines (Pinus strobus).
You'll find the other photos and descriptions of this series in my Integrative Natural History of Amnicon Falls State Park album.
Integrative Natural History of Amnicon Falls State Park, Part 1: Let's Launch This with a Little Lichenology | Wisconsin, USA
(Updated July 28, 2024)
Looking at a community of lichens growing quite happily on a basalt outcrop strewn with pine-needle duff, not far from Snake Pit Falls.
In this extended series on one of America's greatest state parks, I'm going absolutely bonkers. In coming months I'll post as many of my numerous photos of this site as I possibly can, even if they're near-duplicates, because because this place in far-northwestern Wisconsin happens to be situated in a remarkable place, both geologically and botanically. For more on the dramatic geology, check out Part 2.
In this shot, however, the focus is on the branch of botany devoted to the identification and study of those amazing composite organisms, the lichens. The more one explores their world, which extends to so many different climates and habitats, one can't help wondering whether they're this planet's dominant form of life.
While more than one species is present, my attention rests squarely on the fine specimen of Crater Lichen (Diploschistes scruposus) at center. In my experience, it's often a pale, ashen gray. In this case, though, it's tinged green. perhaps because it was wetted by a recent shower and so had its photosynthetic component, most likely green algae, activated.
The pen, a temporary addition to the scene, was placed there for scale. The basalt underneath belongs to the Chengwatana Volcanic Group, which has been dated to about 1.1 Ga. It's part of the massive outflow of mafic lava produced by the Midcontinent Rift late in the Mesoproterozoic era. We'll have much more to say about that titanic structural feature in later images of this set.
And, by the bye, the browned needles seem to be in fascicles or bundles of five, which means they fell from nearby Eastern White Pines (Pinus strobus).
You'll find the other photos and descriptions of this series in my Integrative Natural History of Amnicon Falls State Park album.