What do lichens eat? Lichens are fascinating organisms that can be found all over the world. They are a combination of algae and fungi, and they play an important role in the environment. But what do lichens eat?

This is a question that many people have asked, and the answer may surprise you! In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of food that lichens consume, and how they get their nutrients.

What Do Lichens Eat?

All lichens need nutrients to grow and spread. These main nutrients include carbon, nitrogen, and of course oxygen. Nitrogen is especially important for lichens, as it helps them produce proteins and organic acids.

Lichens get their carbon from sunlight, which provides energy to make their own food. They also obtain nitrogen from rainwater and oxygen from the air.

When the lichens absorb these three nutrients this causes the cortex to become more transparent so they can conduct what’s called photosynthesis.

Lichens can also absorb minerals from the rocks they grow on. This process is known as “weathering”, which over time, can actually break down the rocks!

They do this by secreting acids, which help them to release minerals and other nutrients that are locked inside the rock.

What Lichens Eat To Survive:

Rainwater (Nitrogen)
Sunlight (Carbon)
Fresh Air (Oxygen)

freshwater and coastal Lichens

There are two main types of lichens that grow in the water, freshwater and coastal. Freshwater lichens grow in damp environments, such as ponds and streams. Coastal lichens, on the other hand, grow in saltwater.

Each type of lichen has a different way of obtaining nutrients. For example, freshwater lichens tend to absorb more nitrogen than carbon, while coastal lichens absorb more carbon than nitrogen.

This is because the environment that each type of lichen grows in provides different levels of these nutrients. Coastal lichens usually grow on ocean rocks and are submerged underwater when the tide comes in.

Certain types of lichens will even absorb nitrates NO3 from fish waste! However, when the tide goes out this is where they can absorb carbon from sunlight.

What Freshwater And Coastal Lichens Eat To Survive:

NO3 From Fish Waste (Nitrates)
Minerals In The Water
Sunlight (Carbon)

Desert Lichens

So what do lichens eat in the desert? The answer is a little different than what you might expect! Desert lichens are able to grow in some of the harshest conditions on Earth.

They can survive in extremely hot and dry climates, where other plants would quickly die.

However, they won’t grow as fast! In fact, when in extreme heat lichens will go dormant and only grow 1 mm in height.

Desert lichens will depend on the rocks for their survival. As before, these types of lichens will absorb minerals from the rocks and even moisture that’s trapped in the cracks and underneath the boulders.

Of course, being in the desert they will have plenty of carbo and sunlight to photosynthesize.

What Desert Lichens Eat To Survive:

Minerals In The Rocks
Trapped Moisture (Nitrogen)
Sunlight (Carbon)

how do Lichens Ingest Their Food?

Well, they actually absorb their nutrients through tiny pores in their thallus. The thallus is made up of filaments of the fungus called hyphae.

These pores “hyphae”, is what allows the lichen to absorb water and nutrients from the air around them including sunlight.

The hyphae also helps the lichen anchor itself to surfaces. This is important because it allows the lichen to spread and grow in new areas.

Some lichens also contain structures made from fungal metabolites, which have a variety of functions, including fuel, and structure.

For example, crustose lichens sometimes have a “polysaccharide” layer in the cortex. These Polycarbohydrates are basically the most abundant carbohydrate found in food.

When lichens photosynthesis it creates carbohydrates that reacts with water it absorbs using amylase enzymes as a catalyst, which then produces constituent sugar used for energy!

What To Feed Lichens When Growing Your Own?

If you want to grow your own lichens, there are a few things you need to know about feeding them. First of all, lichens are slow growers. So they can take a while to reach their full size, so remember to be patient!

Secondly, lichens do not need much food. In fact, they can get all the nutrients they need from the air, light, and water around them.

However, if you want to give it a head start then you can add some plant fertilizer. This will give it a boost of nitrogen, which is important for growth.

If you don’t have any then simply leave them and let nature do its work!

Feed Lichens When Growing Your Own:

Use Fertilizer To Boost Growth
Alternatively, Let Nature Do Its Work!

How To Feed Lichens Underwater?

Lichens that grow underwater can get their food in two ways. The first is by absorbing nutrients from the water around them. This includes things like nitrogen and carbon.

The second way is by eating small organisms that live in the water. This includes things like algae and bacteria.

If you have some lichens in your aquarium or pond again you can add some CO2 or plant fertilizer to the water. However, before you do make sure it’s safe to use with fish.

You can also add some small rocks to the tank for the lichens to anchor themselves to. This will also help them to spread and grow in new areas.

Feeding Lichens Underwater:

Add CO2 Or Fertilizer
Add Small Rocks

Final Thoughts

Lichens are able to live in some of the most extreme conditions on Earth thanks to their ability to absorb nutrients from a variety of sources. If you’re ever curious about what these fascinating creatures are eating, now you know!

We hope you enjoyed this post. If you want to read more informative blog posts like this one! Feel free to check out some more articles on this website.