tosporet skjoldkartlav
Rhizocarpon bolanderi
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: (c) Liam O'Brien, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Liam O'Brien
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Ascomycota
Class
Lecanoromycetes
Order
Rhizocarpales
Family
Rhizocarpaceae
Genus
Rhizocarpon
tosporet skjoldkartlav belongs to the family Rhizocarpaceae, order Rhizocarpales, within the Lecanoromycetes class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Rhizocarpon bolanderi faces severe threats from air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and acid rain, which alter the chemistry of its rocky substrates and disrupt its slow-growing lichen physiology. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and temperature extremes that affect the delicate moisture balance required for this species' survival. Habitat destruction from quarrying, development, and recreational activities further fragments its already limited populations on specialized rock surfaces.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This crustose lichen species inhabits exposed siliceous rock surfaces, particularly granite and other acidic rocks in montane and subalpine environments. It typically grows on vertical to slightly overhanging rock faces where it receives adequate moisture from fog and precipitation while avoiding excessive water accumulation.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Rhizocarpon bolanderi faces severe threats from air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and acid rain, which alter the chemistry of its rocky substrates and disrupt its slow-growing lichen physiology. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and temperature extremes that affect the delicate moisture balance required for this species' survival. Habitat destruction from quarrying, development, and recreational activities further fragments its already limited populations on specialized rock surfaces.
Acid rain affecting substrate chemistry
Air pollution and nitrogen deposition
Climate change and altered precipitation patterns
Habitat destruction from quarrying and development
Recreational trampling and rock climbing
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). tosporet skjoldkartlav (Rhizocarpon bolanderi). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/tosporet-skjoldkartlav