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Article: Partners for Life.(lichens)
- Article from:
- The World and I
- Article date:
- April 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Constituting a hardy alliance of organisms from two or three kingdoms, lichens occur in every type of habitat, promote soil development, reveal air quality, and serve as sources of food, dyes, and medicines.
From the poles to the tropics, in both terrestrial and marine habitats, a group of creatures has colonized much of our planet's surface. They grow on rocks, soil, trees, stone walls, old buildings, and even the backs of some animals. Many occur in bright shades of orange, yellow, and blue; others are dull white, gray, or green; still others are black. Yet we generally overlook them, ignore them, or mistake them for mosses or other plant life. Even Carolus ...