The Secret Lives of Lichens

Lichens are everywhere in Denali, hanging from spruce branches, growing on rocks, and quietly shaping life in the boreal forest. Stephanie Smith, Ph.D. candidate in Biological Education at the University of Northern Colorado, will introduce what lichens are, why they matter, and how people around the world have noticed, named, and related to them. She will also share her research in Denali studying how spruce beetle disturbance is affecting epiphytic lichens, including the globally endangered boreal felt lichen, Erioderma pedicellatum.