Sulcaria isidiifera
CR

Sulcaria isidiifera

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulcaria_isidiifera

Overview

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

Sulcaria isidiifera faces severe threats from air pollution and acid rain, which directly damage its sensitive thallus structure and disrupt the delicate chemical balance required for photosynthesis. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering precipitation patterns and increasing temperature extremes that exceed the species' narrow tolerance range. Habitat fragmentation of old-growth forests has eliminated many suitable substrates, while logging activities destroy the specific bark chemistry and microclimate conditions this lichen requires for survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

Sulcaria isidiifera grows exclusively on the bark of old-growth coniferous trees, particularly favoring mature spruce and fir species in cool, humid montane forests. This epiphytic lichen requires specific bark chemistry and stable microclimatic conditions found only in undisturbed forest ecosystems with consistent moisture levels and minimal temperature fluctuations.

Marine coastal/supratidal· majorShrubland· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoverySpecies reintroduction

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Sulcaria isidiifera classified as Critically Endangered?
Sulcaria isidiifera 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. Sulcaria isidiifera faces severe threats from air pollution and acid rain, which directly damage its sensitive thallus structure and disrupt the delicate chemical balance required for photosynthesis. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering precipitation patterns and increasing temperature extremes that exceed the species' narrow tolerance range. Habitat fragmentation of old-growth forests has eliminated many suitable substrates, while logging activities destroy the specific bark chemistry and microclimate conditions this lichen requires for survival.
Where does Sulcaria isidiifera live?
Sulcaria isidiifera occurs in United States. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Sulcaria isidiifera?
The main threats to Sulcaria isidiifera are 1.1, 7.1, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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