UMary Allen
I-lichen umphakathi ophakathi kolwelwe nokhunta. Ngakho i-lichen ayisona isitshalo. Umphakathi onjalo ubizwa nangokuthi i-symbiosis. Livela kwelesiGrikhi futhi lisho “ukuhlala ndawonye”. Ulwelwe lunikeza ukhunta imisoco engakwazi ukuzikhiqiza ngokwalo. Isikhunta sisekela ulwelwe futhi lunikeza amanzi ngoba alunazimpande. Ngale ndlela, bobabili bayasizana.
Ama-Lichens anemibala ehlukahlukene. Ezinye zimhlophe, ezinye ziphuzi, ziwolintshi, zibomvu ngokujulile, zipinki, ziphuzi, zimpunga, noma zimnyama imbala. Lokho kuncike ekutheni yiluphi ukhunta oluhlala naluphi ulwelwe. Kunezinhlobo ezingaba ngu-25,000 ze-lichen emhlabeni wonke, ezingaba ngu-2,000 zazo ezitholakala eYurophu. Zikhula kancane kakhulu futhi zingaguga kakhulu. Ezinye izinhlobo zezilwane zize ziphile amakhulu ambalwa eminyaka.
Ama-Lichens anezinhlobo ezintathu ezihlukene zokukhula: Ulele lwe-crustacean lukhula luqinile kanye ne-substrate. Amaqabunga noma ulele olunamaqabunga akhula acaba futhi axege phansi. Ama-shrub lichens anamagatsha.
Ama-Lichens atholakala yonke indawo. Angatholakala ehlathini ezihlahleni, ezintangweni zasengadini, ematsheni, ezindongeni, ngisho nasezingilazini noma emathini. Babekezelela ukushisa namakhaza amaningi. Bazizwa bekhululeke kakhulu uma kupholile kithina bantu. Ngakho ama- lichens awafuni ngokwendawo yokuhlala noma izinga lokushisa, kodwa awaphenduli kahle emoyeni ongcolile.
Izintwala zimunca ukungcola emoyeni kodwa azikwazi ukukukhulula futhi. Ngakho-ke, lapho umoya omubi khona, awekho ama-lichens. Uma umoya ungangcolisiwe kancane, ama-crustacean lichens kuphela akhula. Kodwa uma ine-crust lichen ne-leaf lichen, umoya awubi kakhulu. Umoya ungcono kakhulu lapho kukhula khona ulele, kanti amanye athanda wona lapho. Ososayensi basebenzisa lokhu futhi basebenzisa i-lichen ukuze babone izinga lokungcoliswa komoya.