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Corey 1 Lichen, which is fungi and algae combined, grows well in certain conditions, but not as well in others. So what sort of conditions does lichen require to thrive? The purpose of this experiment is to discover which conditions lichen develops in best. The independent variables are the temperature of the environments and the humidity of the environments. A humid, cool, and humid, warm, an arid, cool, and an arid, warm environment are used as the independent variables. The growth and development of said lichen is the dependent variable, as it relies on the independent variables shown above. The hypothesis for this experiment is that the lichen will grow and develop faster in the control (humid, cool) environment. “Lichens require no food source other than light, air, and minerals. They depend heavily on rainwater for their minerals and are sensitive to rain-borne pollutants.” (www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0829694.html) Lichens are composed of fungus and alga. “They’re a hybrid of two kingdoms—the quintessential symbiosis of a fungus and an alga. As a successful alliance between these two organisms, lichens live as a single organism. Both inhabit the same body, or thallus, with each doing what it does best and thriving as a result of the natural cooperation.” (Agricultural Research 10) However, they can only become lichen if they the fungi and algae are of a compatible type. They then create their own unique thallus. There are over 20,000 species of fungi that can be converted to lichen, but only 20-40 different species of algae. Most of these algae are common, single celled green algae, which is why its fungal partner usually classifies lichen. They use the scientific name of the fungi as the name for that species of lichen. Corey 2 The growth of lichen depends on the fungi and algae both. “The fungus surrounds its green partner and shares in the sugars and other carbohydrates that the alga or cyanobacterium produces by photosynthesis.
Approximate Word count = 1231
Approximate Pages = 4.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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