Lichen Study

Students have learned about the importance of lichen and air quality. Some lichen are more sensitive to air pollution than others. Students learned that fruticose can only grow in areas with clean air where as crustose can grow in areas with some air pollution. Below is some of the data students collected at home and at school on lichen.

Based on the results students found, this is what they had to say:

"I think we have a little pollution because there wasn't a lot of crustose."

"I found a good amount of lichen, I think that the air pollution in my community is moderate. It could probably be better, but it's not very threatening at the moment."

"There might not be a lot of air pollution, because we have a lot of fruticose lichen on our trees."

"The lichen was mostly crustose, so my air is probably polluted, but I also found a lot of foliose lichen, so it isn't too bad."