lecidea lichen
CR

lecidea lichen

Lecidea diducens

Unknown

Photo: (c) Jason Dart, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jason Dart

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Lecidea diducens faces severe threats from atmospheric pollution and acid deposition, which alter the chemical composition of its rock substrates and disrupt the delicate pH balance required for lichen survival. Climate change compounds these pressures through altered precipitation patterns and temperature fluctuations that affect the species' ability to photosynthesize and reproduce. The lichen's extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with entire populations potentially eliminated by single disturbance events.

Threat summary

Habitat

Lecidea diducens is a crustose lichen that grows exclusively on siliceous rock surfaces in montane and subalpine environments. The species requires specific microclimate conditions with clean air, stable moisture levels, and particular rock chemistry to establish and maintain viable populations.

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Lecideaceae

EN

Lecidea degeliana

Unknown
VU

Porpidia hydrophila

Unknown
VU

Porpidia ochrolemma

Unknown
VU

Lecidea altissima

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is lecidea lichen classified as Critically Endangered?
lecidea lichen is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Lecidea diducens faces severe threats from atmospheric pollution and acid deposition, which alter the chemical composition of its rock substrates and disrupt the delicate pH balance required for lichen survival. Climate change compounds these pressures through altered precipitation patterns and temperature fluctuations that affect the species' ability to photosynthesize and reproduce. The lichen's extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with entire populations potentially eliminated by single disturbance events.
Where does lecidea lichen live?
lecidea lichen occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to lecidea lichen?
The main threats to lecidea lichen are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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