CASPER, Wyo— A “census” of Wyoming’s lichens is now online and accessible through the species list tool of the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database (WYNDD) at the University of Wyoming, according to a release from the university.
“Wyoming has a bounty of 860 lichen species, a workforce of soil-binding, rock-hugging and tree-trimming organisms,” said Bonnie Heidel, WYNDD’s lead botanist. “The addition of lichens to the species list tool is a major stride in representing Wyoming’s flora and fauna.”
Lichens are pervasive across Wyoming, UW said, and can be found from the driest basins to the Rocky Mountain peaks. They inhabit the surfaces of soils, rocks and wood.
“[Lichens] play significant roles in biogeochemical cycling, weathering and soil stabilization, and they contribute to above-ground productive biomass and biodiversity, especially in dry and cold climates,” UW said.
They serve as an important or occasional source of forage for several Wyoming game animals — including pronghorn, moose, elk and bighorn sheep — nongame mammals and birds, and a variety of invertebrates.
The species list tool, which went live in late 2020, may be found at https://wyndd.org/species_list/.
The posting of the state flora and fauna is a new feature of the WYNDD homepage.
Read the full release here.
