Lichen Physiology and Cell Biology

It is currently impossible to grow lichens under controlled conditions in the laboratory in sufficient quantity for physiological experiments. Lichen growth is slow and conditions which might accelerate the process tend to favour either the algal or fungal partner, resulting in the breakdown of balance symbiosis. Lichen physiologists are therefore forced to use field-grown material with all the problems associated with the unknown influences of unpredictable and unreproducible climatic cond...