They are among the first living things to grow on fresh rock exposed after a disaster, such as a landslide, and the long life-span and slow and regular growth rate of some lichens can be used to date the disaster (lichenometry).
They are among the first living things to grow on fresh rock exposed after an event such as a landslide. The long life-span and slow and regular growth rate of some lichens can be used to date the event (lichenometry).