Natural History Photographs


Þingvellir
17 & 21 July 2014


Iceland is situated on top of the Mid-Atlantic ridge, which becomes very tangible in the Þingvellir National park. The spreading of the North American and the European plate becomes higly visible in a series of cracks or faults, the largest one, Almannagjá, being an impressive canyon. For this reason, the park is one of the must-sees of Iceland. However, most tourists will be oblivious to a somewhat less obvious richness, that of lichens - unknown, unloved. For everyone who does recognize lichens and appreciates them, this is another reason to visit the park!



Touching America and Europe within a minute is a very special thing to do!


Vespula rufa








Pertusaria corallina
The black speckles are a parasite on the lichen.


Dibaeis baeomyces


Solorina bispora


Stereocaulon spec. &
Thamnolia vermicularis


Stereocaulon spec.
Stereocaulon tomentosum




Cladonia spec.


Arthrorhaphis alpina


Cetraria aculeata & C. islandica


Psoroma hypnorum


Peltigera spec.


Peltigera leucophlebia
Most Peltigera's - like the brownish one above - are symbioses between a fungus and a cyanobaterium. This green Peltigera cf. leucophlebia is a so-called tripartite symbiosis: it consists of a fungus, a green algal symbiont and a cyanobaterial symbiont. The caynobacterial symbiont is housed in the so-called cephalodia, the dark 'warts' sprinkled over the thallus. The cyanobacteria can fix atmospherix nitrogen, definitely an asset in the nutrient-poor soils these lichens grow on.


Ochrolechia lapuensis & O. frigida


Placopsis cf. gelida
Another example of a tri-partite symbiosis. The cyanobacteria are housed in the brown cephalodia.