Photobiont

A photobiont is the photosynthetic partner in a lichen, usually a green alga or cyanobacterium. It supplies organic carbon to the lichen through photosynthesis.

Lichen: A stable association between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, often with additional microorganisms. The photobiont is one of the partners in this symbiotic body.
Green algae: A diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotes containing chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Most lichen photobionts are green algae.
Lichen ecology: The study of lichen interactions with organisms and environmental conditions. Photobiont traits influence lichen growth and ecological performance.
Lichen photobiont switching: The replacement of a lichen's photosynthetic partner by another photobiont during its life or evolutionary history. It tests whether fungal partners can change photobionts when conditions shift.
Photosynthesis: The process by which organisms convert light energy into chemical energy, usually fixing carbon dioxide into organic compounds. It is the source of the organic carbon a photobiont provides.
Trebouxia: A genus of green algae that includes many common lichen photobionts. Its species form the photosynthetic partner in numerous lichen species.
Lichen biomonitoring: The use of lichens to assess environmental conditions, especially air pollution and metal deposition. Photobiont sensitivity can affect how lichens respond to pollutants.
Lichen resynthesis: The experimental reconstruction of a lichen association from its fungal and photosynthetic partners. Resynthesis can reveal how photobiont compatibility shapes lichen development.
Lichen symbiosis: The persistent association between a lichen-forming fungus and its photosynthetic partner. It describes the exchange in which the photobiont participates.
Nostoc: A genus of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria that forms filaments and gelatinous colonies. Nostoc is a frequent cyanobacterial photobiont in lichens.

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