Fungal-Algal Harmony"
Lichens represent captivating organisms that defy singular classification, constituting a remarkable symbiotic and mutualistic relationship between a fungus and either algae or cyanobacteria. Predominantly, lichen fungi belong to the cup fungi category, specifically the ascomycetes. The synergistic association typically involves a green algal photobiont, which harnesses sunlight to synthesize simple sugars, benefiting the fungal partner.
Extensively distributed throughout The Bahamas, lichens have been a subject of scientific exploration since the discovery of Cladonia dilleniana on New Providence by Mark Catesby. Beyond this pioneering find, various other lichen species thrive in The Bahamas, including Ramalina denticulata, Parmotrema perlatum, Graphis tortuosa, Pyrenula cruenta, Bathelium mastoideum, and Trypethelium eluteriae. These diverse species contribute to the rich ecological arras of The Bahamas, underscoring the importance of lichens in local biodiversity.
Bryophytes
Lichen
Bryophytes are a large group of generally small plants consisting of liverworts, hornworts and mosses.
Liverworts are a group of non-vascular terrestrial plants that contain 6,000 to 9,000 known species. They are also regarded as the oldest group of land plants. Like lichen, liverworts form symbiotic relationships with fungi and often can be found alongside lichen and mosses. Also, like lichens and mosses, liverworts are poikilohydric and adjust their internal water content with the environment around them, quickly switching from wet to dry states.
Compounds from liverworts have been shown to have anti-HIV inhibitory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and even nematocidal properties, making liverworts a great candidate for biochemistry study.
Liverwort
Mosses are non-flowering plants that have stems, produce spores, and have simple roots. They are the second most diverse group of plants after flowering plants. Mosses are a very important type of plant species. In certain biomes such as Tundra, they are the determining element in that ecosystem. Mosses help to retain water, sequester carbon, and stabilize the soil. They can also help plant roots from drying out and insulate the soil from the sun. Mosses, like Lichen and liverworts, can also have relationships with fungi.
Between 500 and 714 species of mosses occur in the West Indies. Some species of mosses found in The Bahamas include Bryum albidum, Tortula agrarian, Thuidium microphyllum, Papillaria nigrescens.
Moss
Lichens
Lichen
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resources
Ahti, T. and Stenroos, S., 2012. New data on nomenclature, taxonomy and distribution of some species of the lichen genus Cladonia. Botanica Complutensis, 36, pp.31-34.
Asakawa, Y., 2008. Liverworts-potential source of medicinal compounds. Current pharmaceutical design, 14(29), pp.3067-3088.
Bidartondo, M.I. and Duckett, J.G., 2010. Conservative ecological and evolutionary patterns in liverwort–fungal symbioses. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 277(1680), pp.485-492.
Davey, M.L. and Currah, R.S., 2006. Interactions between mosses (Bryophyta) and fungi. Botany, 84(10), pp.1509-1519.
Hitchcock, A.S., 1898. List of cryptogams collected in the Bahamas, Jamaica and Grand Cayman. Missouri Botanical Garden Annual Report, 1898, pp.111-120.
Labandeira, C.C., Tremblay, S.L., Bartowski, K.E. and VanAller Hernick, L., 2014. Middle Devonian liverwort herbivory and antiherbivore defence. New Phytologist, 202(1), pp.247-258.
Wang, J., Qian, H., Dai, Z., Zhang, J. and Kessler, M., 2025. Geographic and ecological effects on species richness of liverworts worldwide. Ecography, 2025(2), p.e07277.
Zechmeister, H.G., Grodzińska, K. and Szarek-Łukaszewska, G., 2003. Bryophytes. In Trace Metals and other Contaminants in the Environment (Vol. 6, pp. 329-375). Elsevier.