Faculty Focus: Laura Boggess

faculty focus

She’s Really Likin’ the lichens

Biology Professor Laura Boggess Studies Lichens as a Gauge for Ecosystems

Every time we step outside, we are likely to see, touch, or interact with a fungus-like growth on trees, rocks, and soil called lichen. Most of us think of this growth as pretty or interesting—but for Laura Boggess, instructor of biology at Mars Hill University, lichens are a fascinating subject of research that provides clues to understanding the natural world and humans’ impact on it. But what are lichens? Boggess explains: lichens are not actually plants, nor are they fungi alone. Instead, they are organisms that result from a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae. Take away the fungi or the algae and the lichen can’t survive. Boggess’ enthusiasm for lichens is impressive. “Lichens are amazing,” she said. “Even though they are often overlooked, they are beautiful, intrepid, and important members of the ecosystem. They grow in these beautiful forms, patterns, and colors; they have the ability to grow in very challenging environments; they cycle nutrients through the food chain; they serve as food and habitat for many species; and they are useful to people as natural dyes and as medicines. Lichens play an important role in soil formation, and maybe most importantly, they provide clues to the health of the forests and air quality which all living things depend on.” During the 2019-2020 academic year, Boggess received a fellowship through the City University of New York (CUNY) to study lichens at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG). NYBG is a respected institution that hosts the largest lichen collection in North America. From August 2019 until March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, she lived and worked near the NYBG, identifying collections of lichens, and creating and curating data sets that will open new doors in lichen research in the years to come. Lichens are both tenacious and sensitive, Boggess said. One species, the reindeer lichen, lives in the arctic and provides food for reindeer even in the coldest winters. Yet in spite of such tenacity, lichens are sensitive to the encroachment of humans into their environment. This sensitivity means they can serve as a gauge for air quality. For example, many lichens are killed by air pollutants created by burning fossil fuels. Not surprisingly therefore, the area around New York City is home to a fraction of the lichen species that live in western North Carolina. Boggess said, “Our behaviors certainly influence lichens, which then influence nutrient cycling, or soil production, which then influences the health of all the plants and animals in an ecosystem, including us. Understanding those relationships and helping sustain them is what my work is all about.” Though Boggess’ time in New York has come to an end, her study of lichens and their role in the cycle of life continues. Much of her research, data collection, and analysis will take place in western North Carolina and will consider the ways that humans impact cliffs and cliff lichens through rock climbing and bouldering. As a rock climber herself, the topic is important for Boggess, and one that she knows will interest her students at Mars Hill University. In fact, one of the things Boggess said she has enjoyed is being able to involve students in her research. One such student is Tyler Pesce, a senior environmental studies minor, and a rock climber, who helped Boggess with her work this summer. According to Boggess, Tyler seemed to love getting out to do fieldwork on the rocks as much as she did. Boggess looks forward to involving Tyler and more Mars Hill University students in aspects of the ongoing project. “For students who are interested in scientific research as a career,” she said, “their involvement in data collection will be invaluable to their understanding of what it means to be engaged in original scientific research.”

by Teresa Buckner, Director of Publications

Page at left: Professor Laura Boggess gets a closer look at lichen species on a tree. Inset: Student Tyler Pesce has volunteered to work with Boggess in several of her research projects.