Lichens certainly seem to thrive in the clean, cold, unpolluted air on the coast of Orkney. Here, on an old flagstone wall, the lichens are growing so prolifically that it looks like the wall is developing a hairy pelt to protect it from the bitter cold.
Jessica's Nature Blog 
That’s weird and wonderful lichen! They need unpolluted air, then?
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Ageing gracefully and beautifully, unlike many modern construction materials.
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It seems so. Mostly it is the nitrogen or ammonia in the air that affects them – see the following article on monitoring air quality by looking at lichen on trees http://www.apis.ac.uk/nitrogen-lichen-field-manual. Some species are more tolerant of pollution than others.
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Very interesting. I don’t think I’ll be taking a bottle of bleach down to the woods to test the lichen, though (lol)!!
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Neither would I. All power though to those people who are able to participate in this kind of excellent Citizen Science.
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I bet these were beautiful to see in person. Thanks for sharing your photos!
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Thank you, Jean.
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