Powder-foot British Soldiers Lichen
Cladonia incrassata
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cladonia_incrassata
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Ascomycota
Class
Lecanoromycetes
Order
Lecanorales
Family
Cladoniaceae
Genus
Cladonia
Powder-foot British Soldiers Lichen belongs to the family Cladoniaceae, order Lecanorales, within the Lecanoromycetes class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Powder-foot British Soldiers Lichen faces severe threats from habitat degradation and air pollution, which disrupts the delicate balance required for lichen survival. Climate change and atmospheric nitrogen deposition further compromise the specific environmental conditions this species requires, while its slow growth rate and limited dispersal ability make recovery from disturbances extremely difficult.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This lichen species typically grows on acidic soils, decaying wood, and organic matter in heathlands, moorlands, and open woodland areas with low nutrient levels. It requires specific microclimate conditions with adequate moisture and clean air quality to establish and persist.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Powder-foot British Soldiers Lichen faces severe threats from habitat degradation and air pollution, which disrupts the delicate balance required for lichen survival. Climate change and atmospheric nitrogen deposition further compromise the specific environmental conditions this species requires, while its slow growth rate and limited dispersal ability make recovery from disturbances extremely difficult.
Air pollution and atmospheric nitrogen deposition
Climate change altering temperature and moisture regimes
Habitat degradation and fragmentation
Slow growth rate limiting recovery from disturbances
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Powder-foot British Soldiers Lichen (Cladonia incrassata). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/powder-foot-british-soldiers-lichen