What are lichens? How do fungi participate in this ecological interaction?
Lichens are produced by mutualist ecological interaction among fungi and algae or among fungi and cyanobacteria. In this ecological interaction, the fungi absorb water that is then used by algae (or cyanobacteria), and algae (or cyanobacteria), as autotrophs, make organic material in excess to serve as food for the fungi.
Fungi Kingdom Review - Image Diversity: lichens