Lichens on the Web

An illustrated atlas of Gloucestershire lichens is available on-line at http://gloslichens.potsherd.net. The website is a working tool for lichen studies which will be particularly useful for beginners and intermediate lichenologists. There is a non-technical description and photos of the commonest species and distribution maps for all species.

There are about 2000 lichens in the UK, about 700 of which have been seen in Gloucestershire. The maps reveal patterns of distribution and frequency that were not hitherto evident.

The aim is eventually that all tetrads (2km x 2km on the Ordnance Survey national grid) in Gloucestershire should be visited. About half the squares are still virtually blank so there is plenty still to be done. Added to this, the lichen scene is in flux, particularly as a result of decreasing pollution levels and new information from DNA analysis. With climate change also implicated in arrivals and disappearances, it is an exciting time to be involved in lichenology.

For information on this site, or for details of the field meetings of the Gloucestershire and Bristol Lichen Groups, contact glos.lichens@gmail.com

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