Knowra Cladonia rangiferina Cladonia rangiferina Cladonia rangiferina is a pale, branching fruticose lichen found mainly in boreal and Arctic habitats. It is a major winter food for reindeer and caribou.
Lichen : A stable association between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, usually an alga or cyanobacterium. Cladonia rangiferina is a lichen whose fungal body houses photosynthetic partners.
Reindeer : A deer species of northern Eurasia, domesticated and wild populations of which are called reindeer. Reindeer depend on this lichen as winter forage across parts of their range.
Lichen growth forms : Structural types of lichens, including crustose, foliose, and fruticose forms. Its fruticose form raises branched tissue above the substrate and collects light.
Cladonia stellaris : A pale, densely branched Cladonia lichen common in boreal forests and tundra. It resembles reindeer lichen but forms denser, more cushion-like tufts.
Climate change in the Arctic : The rapid transformation of Arctic climate, including warming, altered snow, and changing ecosystems. Warming and changing snow conditions can shift lichen habitat and grazing access.
Fruticose lichen : A lichen growth form with a shrubby, branched, or hairlike thallus. Its three-dimensional branching is the defining growth form of this species.
Caribou : A North American population of Rangifer tarandus, including migratory and woodland forms. Caribou graze reindeer lichen when snow-covered landscapes limit other forage.
Poikilohydry : The condition in which an organism's water content varies with environmental moisture. The lichen becomes inactive when dry and resumes metabolism after rehydration.
Cladonia portentosa : A branching fruticose lichen found in heathlands, bogs, and other open habitats. It is another widespread reindeer lichen often confused with this species.
Forest fire : An uncontrolled fire that burns vegetation and organic material in a forest or other landscape. Fire can destroy lichen mats, which may take decades to recover.
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