Cladonia rangiferina

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Cladonia rangiferina
Cladonia rangiferina 205412.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Cladoniaceae
Genus: Cladonia
Species:
C. rangiferina
Binomial name
Cladonia rangiferina
(L.) Weber (1780)
Synonyms [1]
List
  • Lichen rangiferinusL. (1753)
  • Verrucaria rangiferina(L.) Humb. (1793)
  • Baeomyces rangiferinus(L.) Ach. (1803)
  • Capitularia rangiferina(L.) Mart. (1817)
  • Patellaria foliacea var. rangiferina(L.) Wallr. (1829)
  • Patellaria rangiferina(L.) Wallr. (1831)
  • Cladonia fusca var. rangiferina(L.) Rabenh. (1840)
  • Cladina rangiferina(L.) Nyl. (1866)
  • Cladonia rangiferina var. abbayesii Ahti (1961)
  • Cladina rangiferina subsp. abbayesii(Ahti) W.L.Culb. (1983)
  • Cladonia rangiferina subsp. abbayesii(Ahti) Ahti & DePriest (2001)
Top view of C. rangiferina Cladonia portentosa top.JPG
Top view of C. rangiferina
The underside of C. rangiferina Cladonia rangifera underside.JPG
The underside of C. rangiferina

Cladonia rangiferina, also known as reindeer cup lichen, [2] reindeer lichen (cf. Sw. renlav) or grey reindeer lichen, is a light-coloured fruticose, cup lichen species in the family Cladoniaceae. It grows in both hot and cold climates in well-drained, open environments. Found primarily in areas of alpine tundra, it is extremely cold-hardy.

Contents

Other common names include reindeer moss, deer moss, and caribou moss, but these names can be misleading since it is, though somewhat moss-like in appearance, not a moss. As the common names suggest, reindeer lichen is an important food for reindeer (caribou), and has economic importance as a result. Synonyms include Cladina rangiferina and Lichen rangiferinus.

Taxonomy

Cladonia rangiferina was first scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 Species Plantarum ; as was the custom at the time, he classified it in the eponymous genus, as Lichen rangiferinus. [3] Friedrich Heinrich Wiggers transferred it to the genus Cladonia in 1780. [4]

Description

Thalli are fruticose, and extensively branched, with each branch usually dividing into three or four (sometimes two); the thicker branches are typically 1–1.5 millimetres (1⁄32–1⁄16 inch) in diameter. [5] The colour is greyish, whitish or brownish grey. C. rangiferina forms extensive mats up to 10 centimetres (4 in) tall. The branching is at a smaller angle than that of Cladonia portentosa . [6] It lacks a well-defined cortex (a protective layer covering the thallus, analogous to the epidermis in plants), but rather, a loose layer of hyphae cover the photobionts. The photobiont associated with the reindeer lichen is Trebouxia irregularis . [7]

Reindeer lichen, like many lichens, is slow growing (3–11 millimetres or 1⁄8–3⁄8 inch per year) and may take decades to return once overgrazed, burned, trampled, or otherwise damaged. [8]

A similar-looking but distinct species, also known by the common name "reindeer lichen", is Cladonia portentosa .

Chemistry

A variety of bioactive compounds have been isolated and identified from C. rangiferina, including abietane, labdane, isopimarane, the abietane diterpenoids hanagokenols A and B, obtuanhydride, sugiol, 5,6-dehydrosugiol, montbretol, cis-communic acid, imbricatolic acid, 15-acetylimbricatoloic acid, junicedric acid, 7α-hydroxysandaracopimaric acid, β-resorylic acid, atronol, barbatic acid, homosekikaic acid, didymic acid and condidymic acid. Some of these compounds have mild inhibitory activities against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci. [9] Exposure to UV-B radiation induces the accumulation of usnic acid and melanic compounds. [10] Usnic acid is thought to play a role in protecting the photosymbiont by absorbing excess UV-B. [11] [12]

Resynthesis

Resynthesis experiments have been conducted to study the early stages of lichen formation in Cladonia rangiferina. These experiments involve isolating and culturing the fungal and algal partners separately, then reuniting them under laboratory conditions to observe the process of lichenization. Through these studies, researchers have identified several key stages in the early development of the lichen thallus. [13]

The first stage, known as the pre-contact stage, occurs around one day post co-inoculation. During this stage, no apparent fungal or algal growth is observed, and hyphal tips are not growing towards algal cells. By the eighth day post co-inoculation, the contact stage is reached. This stage is characterised by rich branching of fungal hyphae with short internodes. Hyphal tips grow towards algal cells, and some form swollen tips called appressoria upon contact. Hyphae can be observed growing around single algal cells or clusters, and mucilage is frequently present. The growth together stage is typically observed around 21 days post co-inoculation. At this point, coordinated growth between the fungus and alga becomes evident. Algal cells are integrated within a hyphal matrix, with hyphae emerging through algal colonies and forming networks within and between them. [13]

Quantitative measurements during these stages reveal several patterns. In compatible interactions, researchers observe significantly shorter hyphal internode lengths and more lateral branches compared to incompatible ones. The frequency of appressoria formation increases over time in compatible interactions. There is no significant reduction in algal cell diameter in compatible interactions, unlike in some incompatible pairings. These experiments highlight the specificity of the Cladonia rangiferina – Asterochloris glomerata / irregularis symbiosis. When paired with incompatible algae such as Coccomyxa peltigerae or Chloroidium ellipsoideum , C. rangiferina shows reduced growth and fewer symbiosis-specific morphological changes. [13]

The resynthesis process in C. rangiferina appears to be slower compared to some other lichen species. Researchers have not observed a well-organised prethallus stage even after three months of co-cultivation. This may be due to specific environmental requirements or growth conditions needed for complete thallus formation in this species. These studies provide insights into the recognition mechanisms and early developmental processes involved in lichen formation. The observations support the concept of controlled parasitism in lichen symbiosis, where the fungal partner exhibits parasitic behavior, but in a controlled manner that allows for mutual benefit in the long term. [13]

Habitat

Cladonia rangiferina often dominates the ground in boreal pine forests and open, low-alpine sites in a wide range of habitats, from humid, open forests, rocks and heaths. It grows on humus, or on soil over rock. It is mainly found in the taiga and the tundra. A specific biome in which this lichen is represented is the boreal forests of Canada. [14]

Ecology

In a Finnish study of the growth rate of Cladonia rangiferina, it was found that the lichen grows from 3.9 to 4.4 mm per year, achieving the fastest growth rate in younger (less than 60 years), shadowy forests, and the slowest growth in an older (more than 180 years), thinned forest. [15]

Cladonia rangiferina is a known host to the lichenicolous fungus species Lichenopeltella rangiferinae , which is named after C. rangiferina, Lichenoconium pyxidatae [16] and Lichenopeltella uncialicola [17]

Conservation

In certain parts of its range, this lichen is an endangered species. For example, in the British Duchy of Cornwall it is protected under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

Uses

The reindeer lichen is edible, but crunchy. It can be soaked with wood ashes to remove its bitterness, then added to milk or other dishes. [18] It is a source of vitamin D. [19]

This lichen can be used in the making of aquavit, [20] and is sometimes used as decoration in glass windows. The lichen is used as a traditional remedy for removal of kidney stones by the Monpa in the alpine regions of the West Kameng district of Eastern Himalaya. [21] The Inland Dena'ina used reindeer lichen for food by crushing the dry lichen and then boiling it or soaking it in hot water until it becomes soft. They eat it plain or, preferably, mixed with berries, fish eggs, or lard. The Inland Dena'ina also boil reindeer lichen and drink the juice as a medicine for diarrhea. Acids present in lichens mean their consumption may cause an upset stomach, especially if not well cooked. [22]

According to a study published in 2017, reindeer lichen was able to grow on burnt soil as soon as two years after a forest fire in Northern Sweden, indicating that artificial replanting of lichen could be a useful strategy for the restoration of reindeer pastures. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lichenology</span> Branch of mycology that studies lichens

Lichenology is the branch of mycology that studies the lichens, symbiotic organisms made up of an intimate symbiotic association of a microscopic alga with a filamentous fungus. Lichens are chiefly characterized by this symbiosis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lichen</span> Symbiosis of fungi with algae or cyanobacteria

A lichen is a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among filaments of multiple fungi species, along with a yeast embedded in the cortex or "skin", in a mutualistic relationship.

<i>Cladonia</i> Genus of lichenised fungi in the family Cladoniaceae

Cladonia is a genus of moss-like lichens in the family Cladoniaceae. They are the primary food source for reindeer/caribou. Cladonia species are of economic importance to reindeer-herders, such as the Sami in Scandinavia or the Nenets in Russia. Antibiotic compounds are extracted from some species to create antibiotic cream. The light green species Cladonia stellaris is used in flower decorations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cladoniaceae</span> Family of lichens

The Cladoniaceae are a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Lecanorales. With about 560 species distributed amongst 18 genera, it is one of the largest families of lichen-forming fungi. Molecular phylogenetics studies have provided new insights into its complex taxonomic history, refining is classification. While Cladoniaceae species are found globally, from Arctic tundra to tropical rainforests, they favour humid environments and are intolerant of arid conditions. The reindeer moss and cup lichens (Cladonia) belong to this family. The latter genus, which comprises about 500 species, forms a major part of the diet of large mammals in taiga and tundra ecosystems.

Vernon Ahmadjian was a distinguished professor at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. He specialized in the symbiosis of lichens, and wrote several books and numerous publications on the subject.

<i>Xanthoparmelia</i> Genus of fungi

Xanthoparmelia is a genus of foliose lichens in the family Parmeliaceae. This genus of lichen is commonly found in the United States, as well as Australia, New Zealand and Ecuador.

<i>Cladonia stellaris</i> Species of lichen in the family Cladoniaceae

Cladonia stellaris or the star-tipped cup lichen is an ecologically important species of cup lichen that forms continuous mats over large areas of the ground in boreal and arctic regions around the circumpolar north. The species is a preferred food source of reindeer and caribou during the winter months, and it has an important role in regulating nutrient cycling and soil microbiological communities. Like many other lichens, Cladonia stellaris is used by humans directly for its chemical properties, as many of the secondary metabolites are antimicrobial, but it also has the unique distinction of being harvested and sold as 'fake trees' for model train displays. It is also used as a sound absorber in interior design. The fungal portion of Cladonia stellaris, known as a mycobiont, protects the lichen from lichenivores, superfluous solar radiation, and other kinds of stressors in their ecosystem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crustose lichen</span> Growth form of lichen as a continuously adherent crust

Crustose lichens are lichens that form a crust which strongly adheres to the substrate, making separation from the substrate impossible without destruction. The basic structure of crustose lichens consists of a cortex layer, an algal layer, and a medulla. The upper cortex layer is differentiated and is usually pigmented. The algal layer lies beneath the cortex. The medulla fastens the lichen to the substrate and is made up of fungal hyphae. The surface of crustose lichens is characterized by branching cracks that periodically close in response to climatic variations such as alternate wetting and drying regimes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lichenicolous fungus</span> Parasitic fungus that only lives on lichen

A lichenicolous fungus is a member of a specialised group of fungi that live exclusively on lichens as their host organisms. These fungi, comprising over 2,000 known species across 280 genera, exhibit a wide range of ecological strategies, including parasitism, commensalism, and mutualism. They can be found in diverse environments worldwide, from tropical to polar regions, and play important roles in lichen ecology and biodiversity. Lichenicolous fungi are classified into several taxonomic groups, with the majority belonging to the Ascomycota and a smaller portion to the Basidiomycota. Their interactions with host lichens range from mild parasitism to severe pathogenicity, sometimes causing significant damage to lichen communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lichen growth forms</span> Gross morphological classification

Lichens are symbiotic organisms made up of multiple species: a fungus, one or more photobionts and sometimes a yeast. They are regularly grouped by their external appearance – a characteristic known as their growth form. This form, which is based on the appearance of vegetative part of the lichen, varies depending on the species and the environmental conditions it faces. Those who study lichens (lichenologists) have described a dozen of these forms: areolate, byssoid, calicioid, cladoniform, crustose, filamentous, foliose, fruticose, gelatinous, leprose, placoidioid and squamulose. Traditionally, crustose (flat), foliose (leafy) and fruticose (shrubby) are considered to be the three main forms. In addition to these more formalised, traditional growth types, there are a handful of informal types named for their resemblance to the lichens of specific genera. These include alectorioid, catapyrenioid, cetrarioid, hypogymnioid, parmelioid and usneoid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lichen morphology</span>

Lichen morphology describes the external appearance and structures of a lichen. These can vary considerably from species to species. Lichen growth forms are used to group lichens by "vegetative" thallus types, and forms of "non-vegetative" reproductive parts. Some lichen thalli have the aspect of leaves ; others cover the substrate like a crust, others such as the genus Ramalina adopt shrubby forms, and there are gelatinous lichens such as the genus Collema.

<i>Cladonia arbuscula</i> Species of cup lichen

Cladonia arbuscula, also referred to as shrubby cup lichen or green reindeer lichen, is a species of cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae.

Lichenopeltella uncialicola is a species of fungus belonging to the class Dothideomycetes. The species was discovered in Iceland in 2010 where it was found growing on Cladonia uncialis. Since then, it has been found on a different host species, Cladonia rangiferina, in North-Korea, Italy Austria, and Greenland.

<i>Lichenoconium pyxidatae</i> Species of fungus

Lichenoconium pyxidatae is a species of lichenicolous fungus belonging to the class Dothideomycetes. It has a Holarctic distribution being found in Alaska and various parts of Russia, including Siberia, Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya and Wrangel Island.

<i>Pulchrocladia retipora</i> Species of fruticose lichen

Pulchrocladia retipora, commonly known as the coral lichen, is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. Found predominantly in Australasia, its habitats range from the Australian Capital Territory to New Zealand's North and South Islands, and even the Pacific region of New Caledonia, where it grows in coastal and alpine heathlands. The lichen features coral-like branches and subbranches with numerous intricate, netlike perforations. It is known by multiple names, with some sources referring to it by its synonym Cladia retipora, or the common name lace lichen.

Protothelenella is a genus of fungi in the family Protothelenellaceae. It contains 11 species, some of which form lichens. Protothelenella species have a crustose thallus with spherical to pear-shaped, dark brown to blackish perithecia. Microscopic characteristics of the genus include bitunicate asci with an amyloid tholus, and ascospores that are colourless and contain multiple internal partitions. Some species grow on acidic substrates including rocks, soil, bryophytes, plant detritus or rotten wood. Other species are lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling), growing on species of Solorina, Peltigera, Pseudocyphellaria, or Cladonia.

Anaptychia ethiopica is a species of lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Found in East Africa, China, and Russia, it was formally described as a new species in 1976 by lichenologists Thomas Douglas Victor Swinscow and Hildur Krog. The type specimen was collected from Mount Bwahit, where it was found growing on moss.

Cladonia cayennensis is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It is found in French Guiana, although the authors suggest that its distribution might be more widespread.

Rhizoplaca ouimetensis is a saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen species in the family Lecanoraceae. Uniquely identified by its sorediate form—a feature not observed in other Rhizoplaca species—it was discovered in Ontario, Canada, specifically within the Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park.

References

  1. ↑ "GSD Species Synonymy. Current Name: Cladonia rangiferina (L.) Weber, in Wiggers, Prim. fl. holsat. (Kiliae): 90 (1780)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Standardized Common Names for Wild Species in Canada". National General Status Working Group. 2020.
  3. ↑ Linnaeus, Carl (1753). Species Plantarum (in Latin). Vol. 2. Stockholm: Impensis Laurentii Salvii. p. 1153.
  4. ↑ Wiggers, Friedrich Heinrich (1780). Primitiae Florae Holsaticae (in Latin). Kiel, Germany: By the Press of Michael Friedrich Bartsch, Academic Printer. p. 90.
  5. ↑ Geiser L, McCune B (1997). Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest. Corvallis, Oregon: Oregon State University Press. p. 62. ISBN   0-87071-394-9.
  6. ↑ Raine M. (2009). Nature of Snowdonia: A Beginner's Guide to the Upland Environment. Pesda Press. p. 56. ISBN   978-1-906095-10-9.
  7. ↑ Rikkinen, J. (1995). "What's behind the pretty colours?: a study on the photobiology of lichens". Bryobrothera. 4: 16.
  8. ↑ Rook EJS (11 October 1999). "Cladonia species. Reindeer lichens". Archived from the original on 2012-04-03. Retrieved 2012-03-25.
  9. ↑ Yoshikawa, Kazuko; Kokudo, Naoki; Tanaka, Masami; Nakano, Tatsuro; Shibata, Hirofumi; Aragaki, Naokatsu; Higuchi, Tomihiko; Hashimoto, Toshihiro (2008). "Novel Abietane Diterpenoids and Aromatic Compounds from Cladonia rangiferina and Their Antimicrobial Activity against Antibiotics Resistant Bacteria". Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 56 (1): 89–92. doi: 10.1248/cpb.56.89 . PMID   18175983.
  10. ↑ Nybakken, Line; Julkunen-Tiitto, Riitta (2006). "UV-B induces usnic acid in reindeer lichens". The Lichenologist. 38 (5): 477–485. doi:10.1017/S0024282906005883.
  11. ↑ Bjerke, Jarle W.; Lerfall, Kjetil; Elvebakk, Arve (2002). "Effects of ultraviolet radiation and PAR on the content of usnic and divaricatic acids in two arctic-alpine lichens". Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences. 1 (9): 678–85. doi:10.1039/b203399b. PMID   12665305.
  12. ↑ Bjerke, J; Elvebakk, A; Dominguez, E; Dahlback, A (2005). "Seasonal trends in usnic acid concentrations of Arctic, alpine and Patagonian populations of the lichen Flavocetraria nivalis". Phytochemistry. 66 (3): 337–44. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2004.12.007. PMID   15680990.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Athukorala, Sarangi N.P.; Huebner, Erwin; Piercey-Normore, Michele D. (2014). "Identification and comparison of the 3 early stages of resynthesis for the lichen Cladonia rangiferina". Canadian Journal of Microbiology. 60 (1): 41–52. doi:10.1139/cjm-2013-0313.
  14. ↑ C. Michael Hogan. 2008. Black Spruce: Picea mariana, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg Archived October 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ↑ Helle, T.; Aspi, J.; Tarvainen, L. "The growth rate of Cladonia rangiferina and C. mitis in relation to forest characteristics in northeastern Finland". Rangifer. 3 (2): 2–5.
  16. ↑ Brackel, Wolfgang von (2011). "Lichenopeltella rangiferinae sp. nov. and some other lichenicolous fungi from Iceland" (PDF). Acta Botanica Islandica . 15: 51–60.
  17. ↑ Zhurbenko, M.P.; Pino-Bodas, R. (2017). "A revision of lichenicolous fungi growing on Cladonia, mainly from the Northern Hemisphere, with a worldwide key to the known species". Opuscula Philolichenum. 16: 188–266.
  18. ↑ United States Department of the Army (2009). The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. p. 85. ISBN   978-1-60239-692-0. OCLC   277203364.
  19. ↑ Björn, L.O.; Wang, T. (2000). "Vitamin D in an ecological context". International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 59 (1): 26–32. ISSN   1239-9736. PMID   10850004.
  20. ↑ Meuninck, Jim (2018). Basic Illustrated Edible Wild Plants and Useful Herbs. Falcon Guides. p. 14. ISBN   978-1-4930-3641-7.
  21. ↑ Rout, Jayashree; Kar, Ashish; Upreti, D. K. (2005). "Traditional remedy for kidney stones from a high altitude lichen: Cladonia rangiferina (L.) Wigg (reindeer moss) of Eastern Himalaya". Ethnobotany. 17 (1/2): 164–166.
  22. ↑ "Caribou Moss – Cladonia rangiferina" . Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  23. ↑ Roturier, Samuel; Ollier, Sébastien; Nutti, Lars-Evert; Bergsten, Urban; Winsa, Hans (2017). "Restoration of reindeer lichen pastures after forest fire in northern Sweden: Seven years of results". Ecological Engineering. 108: 143–151. doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.07.011.
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