Saturday, March 2: Lichens: a Talk and Walk at Sedgwick Reserve
Lecture/Field Trip with Rikke Næsborg
Orange golden-eye lichen and gray lace lichen are shown here growing on an oak. The latter lichen is California’s state lichen. Photo by Rikke Reese Næsborg.
Saturday, March 2, 2024, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
UC Sedgwick Reserve, Tipton House
Participation is limited to 20.
Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. February 2 for members and February 24 for nonmembers at syvnhs@syvnature.org or 805/693-5683. A recording of the lecture presentation will be posted online after the event.
Directions to Sedgwick Reserve will be sent to registrants.
Lichens are found in almost every habitat on all kinds of surfaces around the world, but since they are often small and somewhat inconspicuous, they are frequently overlooked. That is a pity because lichens are extraordinary and complex organisms. Not only are lichens little ecosystems that consist of a symbiotic association between at least one fungus and at least one alga; lichens also play significant roles in the ecosystem from colonization and stabilization to contribution to the nutrient cycle. Lichens have been used for centuries by humans as dyes, medicines, and food. More recently a range of new uses have been employed such as monitoring air pollution. California hosts over 2000 lichen species, spanning a fantastic array of colors and shapes. This talk will explore the fascinating and amazing world of lichens.
Lichenologist Rikke Reese Næsborg examining a fog lichen. Photo by Cameron Williams.
Rikke Reese Næsborg, Ph.D., is the first Tucker Lichenologist and Curator of the Lichenarium at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Rikke earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at University of Southern Denmark and went on to earn a doctorate in systematic botany from Uppsala University in Sweden.
