That was a great introduction, thank you!

When the fungus in a lichen reproduces, do the fungus spores contain within them the symbiotic partner, or do they somehow meet up again, and re-combine once the fungus starts growing in a new location?

Any recommended reading?

Are they edible?.
A real eye opener thank you.

Very interesting.

Thank you for the type of video that Woodlands TV does best = fascinating and educational.

I'm sold, could anyone recommend any good books on lichens? Either of the field guide or reference variety.

Love the channel and the content. You should really consider changing your profile picture. It looks a bit dull and outdated.. Keep up with the amazing videos!

Great channel to geek out on 🙂

Excellent.

Great question!

So, no the fungal spores disperse independently of the photobiont … its not very clearly understood how the spores find their partner in the wild … one idea is that the spores manage to 'steal' photobiont cells from other lichens or lichen propagules. By propagules I mean the vegetative reproduction structures (typically soredia — powdery bits — or isidia — peggy bits) that lichens produce asexually, which will contain parts of both fungus and photobiont. These aren't spores, but they must often be a more reliable form of dispersal, since they are quite widespread throughout the group.

My favourite introductory work on lichens is this book by William Purvis

https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/LICHENS_PB.html?id=mAhuQgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y

Cheers, Joe

Probably only in a crisis!

I'm told that the first nations peoples of NW America used to eat Bryoria (which looks like horesehair). It's not very appetising looking , and I think it was only really eaten in hard times!