NB Researchers find lichen species in most eastern locations on record

Researchers at the Nature Trust of New Brunswick have been looking for four different types of lichens and found one – in an unusual place.

Scaly fringe lichen, scientifically known as Heterodermia squamulosa, was found east of Fundy National Park between Alma and Riverside-Albert.

“As far as I know, this is the easternmost recorded occurrence of the species to date,” said Ilana Urquhart, conservation coordinator at the Nature Trust.

Lichens are a symbiotic partnership between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner such as algae. Lichens often appear as G.Rays, yellow or green crusty patches growing on trees, look almost like a type of moss.

Urquhart said it may take a little effort to find lichens but they are commonly found on rocks and trees.

In the past, he said they have been found along the coast west of Fundy and a few times on Grand Manan.

“They live on almost every surface they can find,” Urquhart said. “The ones growing on the trees are actually growing right there. They have nothing to do with the tree. They’re just using it as a surface to live on.”

Urquhart said scaly fringe lichen, as well as the others he’s looking for — wrinkled shingle lichen, blue felt lichen and white-edged shingle lichen — are particularly hard to find.

All species have been assessed for their scarcity in the province. The wrinkled shingle lichen is endangered, the white-edged and scaly fringes are endangered and the blue lichen is of particular concern.

Urquhart said lichens can be a good indicator of a healthy environment that can support different species.

“We can’t see directly what their importance is, but they’re often found in areas that are really rich in biodiversity.”

According to Urquhart, the biggest threat to the lichen is habitat loss, which can be caused by logging and logging.

He said that there is not much observational data available about these lichens, so The Nature Trust’s findings will be shared with other researchers and become part of the province’s data set.

The Nature Trust received funding from Environment Climate Change Canada through the Habitat Stewardship Program – which supports projects focused on working with at-risk species.

Nature Trust researchers will be searching for the lichens from 2022, which will include finding landowners who have a suitable environment for these lichens.

Urquhart said they can be found in pine swamp habitats, maple swamp habitats and hardwood areas.

He said they are targeting the Charlotte County area, Wolastoq — also known as the St. John’s River — and coastal islands in the Bay of Fundy.

The Nature Trust is still looking for blue felt lichen and knows it to be present in Charlotte County and Grand Manan.