Their big, broad hooves also work well as paddles when the animal swims across rivers or lakes. Conversely, a similar-looking but distinct species, also known by the common name "reindeer lichen", is Cladonia portentosa. They will use their hooves to dig holes through the snow. Welcome to another episode of Natural World Facts!This fact file is all about Reindeer in the series Mammals. 1) Reindeer live in the Arctic tundra and damp forests of Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska and Canada. In this context, several thesis topics are available. Food items. They are found from Nova Scotia to Florida and west into Texas, Missouri and Illinois as well as many other countries in the arctic tundra such as northern Canada, mountains as far as California and Alaska or any temperate regions in the north. reindeer lichen for several decades, today there is evidence that lichen-rich Pinus sylvestris forests in Fennoscandia originate from repeated fires. The cover of crustose lichens was significantly related to latitude, with greater cover in more northern areas. forage for caribou and reindeer. Cladonia rangiferina often dominates the ground in boreal pine forests and open, low-alpine sites in a wide range of habitats, from humid, open forests, rocks and heaths. Long-term monitoring Reindeer lichen Traditional land-use Swedish National Forest Inventory INTRODUCTION The boreal Fennoscandian landscape contains a variety of forest habitats that all contribute to a rich biodiversity, natural resource, and ecosystem services pool (e.g., Esseen et al. As the common names suggest, reindeer lichen is an important food for reindeer (caribou), and has economic importance as a result. [8] Usnic acid is thought to play a role in protecting the photosymbiont by absorbing excess UV-B. Colour. They also live in Europe, Russia, and Greenland. They are herbivores, and eat grasses, lichens, leaves, and in captivity, hay. Sign up here to receive emails about plants and Plantlife’s work. https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/animals/mammal/rata/all.html Due to the climatic conditions in which the reindeer lives, it can even digest frozen food. It has no roots and receives moisture from rain, morning dew and humid air. They eat grass, leaves, and twigs, as well as lichen, a moss-like plant. Reindeer Lichens are composite organisms made of fungi and green algae. About the Plant Cladonia rangiferina is also known as Reindeer Moss, Caribou Moss, and Reindeer Lichen. Reindeer also spent more time resting during the winter and less time foraging for food than in the summer. Old-grown spruce forest was the most abundant habitat, providing reindeer with ground lichens, bilberries and epiphytic lichens. Welcome to another episode of Natural World Facts!This fact file is all about Reindeer in the series Mammals. Found primarily in areas of alpine tundra, it is extremely cold-hardy. The usnic acid content helps Reindeer to break down fat reserves during the winter months. Lichen, one of the main winter foods of reindeer in Europe. According to the University of Michigan (Museum of Zoology) the total population size of the Reindeer is around 5 million individuals. It prefers well-drained, sandy, usually acidic soils and areas that provide partial shade. Reindeer are the domestic version of the caribou. Reindeer have been domesticated in Europe. These names, and its highly branched growth pattern known as fruticose are often misleading in its appearance to moss. Foliose lichens were more abundant in places where moss cover was high. Habitats Lichens can grow in almost any habitat, but are most common in forests, bogs, sand barrens, cliff faces and talus, rock outcrops, and cemeteries. Introduction Upland coniferous forests in boreal western Canada often have a ground layer composed of a mosaic of mosses and lichens. Basis for Listing. Smallest subspecies of reindeer, endemic to Svalbard. Smallest subspecies of reindeer, endemic to Svalbard. Woodland caribou are diet specialists, utilizing lichen-rich habitat for forage during winter months. Class: Ascomycetes. The harshness of reindeer habitat—frigid and ecologically homogenous boreal forests, windswept and seasonally frozen tundra—makes it all the more incredible that such massive herds of these animals can survive in these places. 2 For more on general lichen biology, see FFF#062 and FFF#063.The Reindeer Lichen fungi can pair with a variety of algal species to successfully form a lichen. A specific biome in which this lichen is represented is the Boreal forests of Canada.[6]. Reindeer Moss are also the primary type of lichen used for miniature trees to add realism to model train panoramas and architectural mock-ups. Because reindeer love lichen so much it is sometimes called “reindeer lichen.” In the winter reindeer will look for food under the snow. Reindeer are herbivores meaning they are plant eaters. They eat it plain or, preferably, mixed with berries, fish eggs, or lard. Reindeer Moss contains high amounts of carbohydrates and vitamins A and B, and is low on protein. In some places, the growth is so luxuriant that lichens are used as fodder for cattle. Biology / Life History. Wainio's Reindeer Lichen : MN Status: special concern (as Cladonia pseudorangiformis) Federal Status: none. To survive in these different environments, they basically have two different nutritional strategies; one for summer and one for winter. Habitat: Growing in sand - pine scrub habitat. USFS: yes. It is often to be found in open spaces in the taiga, pine forests, swamps and in the mountains. Forest management and reindeer husbandry represent two … habitat suitability for caribou. About Reindeer Moss. Reindeer lichen grows to a height of 1 to 4 inches. Cladonia pseudorangiformis. Common Name: Moss, Reindeer Scientific Name: Cladina rangiferina Family: Lichen Other Common Names: Caribou Lichen Flower Color: N/A Habitat: Thin or poor soils, forest floors, rock General Bloom Dates: N/A General Characteristics: This fruticose (shrubby) lichen ranges in color from white to a greenish or gray hue. Reindeer Lichen. Cladonia spp. Foliose lichens were more abundant in places where moss cover was high. Ecology Habitats. The branching is at a smaller angle than that of Cladonia portentosa. - PicFacts. Habitat. The tree trunks on hills are the most common sites of lichen growth. A variety of bioactive compounds have been isolated and identified from C. rangiferina, including abietane, labdane, isopimarane, the abietane diterpenoids hanagokenols A and B, ontuanhydride, sugiol, 5,6-dehydrosugiol, montbretol, cis-communic acid, imbricatolic acid, 15-acetylimbricatoloic acid, junicedric acid, 7α-hydroxysandaracopimaric acid, β-resorylic acid, atronol, barbatic acid, homosekikaic acid, didymic acid and condidymic acid. We promise not to pass on your details to anyone else. Habitat. Lichens can withstand extremes of climate and, thus, are found everywhere ranging from hot deserts to chilly mountains. Sw. renlav), grey reindeer lichen, or (misleadingly) reindeer moss, is a light-colored, fruticose species of lichen, belonging to the family Cladoniaceae. Due to acids present in lichens, their consumption may cause an upset stomach, especially if not well cooked. Mass starvation of reindeer linked to climate change and habitat loss Menu Close severe degradation of lichen habitats. Two similar-looking species of lichen are known by the common name Reindeer lichen. There is also evidence that lemmings and bird eggs sometimes become their food. Other species of reindeer moss are wide-ranging and grow from from very cold regions in the noth to very dry and hot habitats in the south. They dig using their antlers and munch on energy-packed lichens called reindeer moss. Oil and mineral exploration may threaten the reindeer habitat. In a similar study, Klein (1987) observed only a 10% lichen regeneration after 22 years of overexploitation by the caribou on St. Matthew Island in the Bering Sea. [13], . The Inland Dena'ina also boil reindeer lichen and drink the juice as a medicine for diarrhea. AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION: Munger, Gregory T. 2008. When dry it can be quite brittle but once wet it becomes somewhat sponge-like. The only forests found in these areas are boreal forests, also known as “taiga,” or “snow” forests. This lichen produces erect and branched thalli (named podetia) that are several centimetres high. In practice this would mean that important epiphytic lichen habitats would be saved and the most essential loggings would be carried out in late winter, logging in summer would be avoided on terricolous lichen-rich pastures and as light soil preparation methods as possible would be used. Known as caribou in North America, reindeer live in the cold regions of North America, Greenland, and northern Europe to East Asia. There are two varieties, or ecotypes: tundra reindeer and forest (or woodland) reindeer. Lichens are the source of many natural dyes, including classic tweed. Cladonia pseudorangiformis has been found on soil, but in Minnesota this lichen grows on sunny rock outcrops and ledges in areas that are moist and cool, and probably have high humidity. The Florida perforate reindeer lichen occurs only in the state of Florida and is characterised by its yellow-grey, complex branching pattern. You can change your mind by clicking a link we put in the emails. - Xanthoparmelia in a dry sclerophyll macrohabitat. Look for lichens on trees and shrubs, dead tree trunks and fences, most kinds of rocks including tombstones, soil, weathered metal and plastic surfaces, and roof shingles. Green and grey reindeer lichens are most easily separated by colour. Other common names include reindeer moss, deer moss, and caribou moss, but these names can be misleading since it is, though somewhat moss- like in appearance, not a moss. Reindeer lichen, like many lichens, is slow growing (3–5 mm per … Common Name: Reindeer Lichen, Reindeer moss, Caribou moss, Reindeer moss lichen - The lichen is one of the primary food sources for reindeer (Rangifer tarandus); their North American counterparts are called caribou. Some inhabit vast, open tundra, while others live along the edges and amongst forests. Lets us not forget with Santa at … Thalli are fruticose, and extensively branched, with each branch usually dividing into three or four (sometimes two); the thicker branches are typically 1–1.5 mm in diameter. 1997; Gamfeldt et al. For example, in the British Duchy of Cornwall it is protected under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Reindeer food is mainly based on willow leaves, sedges, birch, grass, and lichens. Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) eating grass and lichen in its natural habitat in Svalbard tundra. Mapping lichen in a caribou habitat of Northern Quebec, Canada, using an enhancement-classification method and spectral mixture analysis J. The´aua,*, D.R. Sw. renlav), grey reindeer lichen, or (misleadingly) reindeer moss, is a light-colored, fruticose species of lichen, belonging to the family Cladoniaceae. Composed of many light and dainty branches, it grows in cushion-like tufts. Synonyms include Cladina rangiferina and Lichen rangiferinus. Lichen is high in soluble carbohydrates but very low in protein. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. In this symbiosis, the fungi provide structure, nutrients, and protection that allow the algae to photosynthesize and produce sugars for the fungi. Reindeer mainly eat grasses, herbs, sedges, mosses, twigs, fungi and lichens. Merry Christmas everyone!!!! Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) eating grass and lichen in its natural habitat in Svalbard tundra. Tweet; Description: A light-coloured, fruticose lichen belonging to the family Cladoniaceae. Its most common name is Reindeer Lichen this is because it is a vital source of food eaten by reindeer. Reindeer are one of the only mammals that can see UV light, allowing them to see lichen, polar bears against the snow, and urine trails. We conclude that the impact of Svalbard reindeer on lichens is dependent on growth form, with fruticose lichens suffering from grazing, whereas foliose lichens might indirectly benefit from higher densities of reindeer or, like crustose lichens, be controlled by other factors. Reindeer moss is usually found on moors and heathland, often growing in pockets of soil attached to rocky outcrops. [5] You can find lichens from sea level to alpine peaks and from the hot deserts of the world to the cold arctic and antarctic. It grows in both hot and cold climates in well-drained, open environments. Found primarily in areas of alpine tundra, it is extremely cold-hardy. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. Order: Lecanorales. Average Weight: 60 to 300kg (132 - 660 lbs) Average Length: 160 to 200 cm long (5.3 - 6.6 feet) plus a short tail of 14 - 20 cm (6 - 8 inches), 80 to 150cm (2.6 - 4.9 feet) tall at the shoulder. This lichen produces erect and branched thalli (named podetia) that are several centimetres high. The chemical in litmus paper ( which indicates acid or base) is also made from lichen. Habitat and the Thallus of Lichens: Habitat: Lichens can withstand extremes of climate and, thus, are found everywhere ranging from hot deserts to chilly mountains. Reindeer Moss contains high amounts of carbohydrates and vitamins A and B, and is low on protein. Our larger project aims to assess to what extent bear predation and anthropogenic activities affect reindeer movement and habitat selection, and the consequent effect on ground lichens. species of lichenised fungus in the family Cladoniaceae, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, "Novel Abietane Diterpenoids and Aromatic Compounds from Cladonia rangiferina and Their Antimicrobial Activity against Antibiotics Resistant Bacteria", "Degradation of the disease-associated prion protein (PrP(TSE)), the probable etiological agent of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) by a serine protease from lichens", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cladonia_rangiferina&oldid=980018806, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 September 2020, at 04:03. 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