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Index of Subjects <html> <head> </head> <body> Hi Peter, Bob & All, Sept 12, 2006<br> An unusually rich stand (hang ?) of <i>Usnea</i> may also be symptomatic of tree decline; better exposure to light due to a thinning canopy and (my guess) more leaching of nutrients out of canopy needles down to the lichen. Ground cover responds in a similar way; no or sparse ground cover becoming almost continuous as conifers decline.<br> Yours truly, Dave Webster, Kentville<br> <br> <br> Bob McDonald wrote:<br> <blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:001501c6d6a5$85961030$6600a8c0@desktop"> <meta content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name="GENERATOR"> <style></style> <div><font size="2">Hello Peter,</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="2">Your "fuzzy stuff" growing on the trees are lichens. This is clearly an Usnea species (a so-called Beard Lichen) but there are several of these in NS. It looks most like Usnea longissima (Methusaleh's Beard Lichen) which can be up to 3 m long!!</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="2">BTW, lichens do not harm the tree and use it simply as a substrate, i.e. a place to grow. There is an increasing number of people in the province interested in learning about lichens, especially since they are a valuable natural indicator of air quality. In fact, the Usnea lichens in particular are very intolerant of pollution and are hard to find, say, on the Halifax peninsula. We have a few small Usnea lichens growing on a dead Larch in our backyard and as the air quality improves more, they can get very large. Yours is a very healthy population and clearly the air quality is very high!!</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="2">Cheers,</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="2">Bob McDonald</font></div> <div><font size="2">Clayton Park West</font></div> <div><font size="2">Halifax</font></div> <div> </div> <blockquote style="padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px; border-left-width: 2px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(0,0,0); margin-right: 0px; "> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none; "> ----- Original Message ----- </div> <div style="background-color: rgb(228,228,228); background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; -x-background-x-position: 0%; -x-background-y-position: 0%; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none; "><b> From:</b><a title="peterdewit@gmail.com" href="mailto:peterdewit@gmail.com"> Peter dewit</a> </div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none; "><b> To:</b><a title="naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" href="mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca"> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a> </div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none; "><b> Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 12, 2006 4:09 PM</div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none; "><b> Subject:</b> [NatureNS] Fuzzy "stuff" on trees, ID?</div> <div><br> </div> <div>Noticed the "fuzz" growing on the trees at Thomas Cove Coastal Reserve, Headlands Trail when hiking on Saturday (sept 9th)</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm not familiar with what it is. They were growing on the base of the trees, probably taking over the lower 3-5 feet of branches that started at about 6 feet off the ground, almost no leaves on those branches, and they were on parts of the trunk. Above that area the trees looked normal. I did not think to stop and record the type of tree or photograph more of it while I was on a fast walking pace. </div> <div> </div> <div>It was very dry to touch, probably makes a good fire starter when in neeed.</div> <div> </div> <div>Some photos included here:</div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://halifaxns.net/peterpictures/thomascove/thomascove18.JPG"> http://halifaxns.net/peterpictures/thomascove/thomascove18.JPG</a> </div> <div><a href="http://halifaxns.net/peterpictures/thomascove/thomascove19.JPG"> http://halifaxns.net/peterpictures/thomascove/thomascove19.JPG</a> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <hr>No virus found in this incoming message.<br> Checked by AVG Free Edition.<br> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.3/445 - Release Date: 9/11/2006<br> </blockquote> </blockquote> <br> </body> </html>
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