Blog post #7 BY Chet, Sara, & Brandon

Chet Przybysz

Sara Leeman

Brandon Chapdelaine

Blog post #7

Lichens & Moss at Lynndale Park

Height: 6 ft 3 in. (I am 6’6)

Circumference: 1m

Tree Map: (there was no moss on the tree at the level we measured, however there was a good amount at the bottom)

Name/species: Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

Best direction for Moss: at the base it seemed that it was all around it. Further up the tree it became less prominent on the west side and was more prominent on the NE and SE side.

Best direction for Lichen: Like moss they favor the NE-SE side of the trunk. Not as heavily populated near the bottom of the trunk and more populated above the moss at the bottom.

Bark: very rough park with deep cracks. Cracks are very close together causing a maze like look.

Side of tree with most light: West

Side of tree that’s warmest: West (as it is getting more direct sunlight)

Side of tree most likely to have the most rain and wind, receive most moisture: West

Why does lichen and moss mostly grow mostly on one side of a tree?: The sides with the most lichen are also the sides of the tree least exposed to the elements. This must mean they prefer shade/ being away from the sun.

Same amount of moss at waist level?: No, there is more moss at waist level.

At knee level?: It’s about 50/50 moss and lichen.

Lichen identification: We identified the lichen on our tree to be crustose lichen, as it grew tightly together and was strongly attached to the bark.

Did the growth pattern we recorded match other groups?: It looks like ours is similar to other groups, but they’re all a little different. This might be due to location, or the type of tree.

Does the kind of bark make a difference to lichen and moss?: I think it does, because I think cracks in the tree make it easier for lichen to attach and grow! I also think the age of the tree plays a role as well.

Hypothesis: Lichens must prefer less exposure to sunlight, because no lichen grew on the

West side of the tree.

Questions:

Brandon ~ Is the myth about Lichen and moss only growing on the North East side and South East side true? Or is it more dependant on the conditions of the area surrounding that dictates which side it grows.

Sara - Why do lichen prefer shade/ less exposure to the sun? I would think it would be the opposite, but based on our data it’s looking like the lichen prefers to be away from the elements.

Chet - Is the moss gathering at the base of the tree indicative of a specific cause? Perhaps due to a concentration of moisture? Other trees didn't seem to have similar patterns, so I'd like to know a deeper reason for moss growth.