Ball-tip lichen
CR

Ball-tip lichen

Sphaerophorus fragilis

Unknown

Photo: Photo: (c) Richard Droker, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)

Overview

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

Skør kuglelav faces severe threats from air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and sulfur compounds, which dramatically alter the chemistry of its substrate and surrounding environment. Climate change compounds these pressures by creating conditions that favor competing species and alter the delicate moisture regimes this sensitive lichen requires. Habitat fragmentation and loss of suitable old-growth forest stands further restrict available colonization sites.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species occurs on bark and wood of old trees in mature, humid forests, particularly favoring acidic substrates in areas with clean air and stable moisture conditions. It is typically found in undisturbed coniferous and mixed forests where air quality remains high and atmospheric pollution is minimal.

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Sphaerophoraceae

Globe Ball LichenCR

Globe Ball Lichen

Sphaerophorus globosus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Ball-tip lichen classified as Critically Endangered?
Ball-tip 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. Skør kuglelav faces severe threats from air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and sulfur compounds, which dramatically alter the chemistry of its substrate and surrounding environment. Climate change compounds these pressures by creating conditions that favor competing species and alter the delicate moisture regimes this sensitive lichen requires. Habitat fragmentation and loss of suitable old-growth forest stands further restrict available colonization sites.
Where does Ball-tip lichen live?
Ball-tip 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 Ball-tip lichen?
The main threats to Ball-tip 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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