The Occurrence of Leptogium species in Dramaga Campus Shows the Good Air Quality of IPB Campus

Perhaps the word "Liken", still sounds unfamiliar for our ears. Currently information on the diversity of lichen in Indonesia is very limited. A lichen is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi in a symbiotic relationship. Lichens do not have roots that absorb water and nutrients as plants do, but like plants, they produce their own food by photosynthesis. When they grow on plants, they do not live as parasites, but instead use the plants as a substrate. Liken is often regarded as one of the parasitic plants, which grow on  other plants, so it is often removed and discarded.

Lichens have been described as "dual organisms" because they are symbiotic associations between two (or sometimes more) entirely different types of microorganism – a fungus (termed the mycobiont) and a green alga or a cyanobacterium (termed the photobiont). Symbiosis in lichens is the mutually helpful symbiotic relationship of green algae and/or blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) living among filaments of a fungus. The fungus benefits from the algae or cyanobacteria because they produce food by photosynthesis. The algae or cyanobacteria benefit by being protected from the environment by the filaments of the fungus, which also gather moisture and nutrients from the environment, and (usually) provide an anchor to it. The result of the symbiosis produces a different kind of plant of both parent and is called liken. The shape of the talus (fake leaf) of lichen varies considerably from crustos (like crust), folios (like leaves), frutikus (like ropes or threads) to the top and squamulos (like scales).

Liken can grow and develop because it has the ability of photosynthesis. It is obtained from fungi that it can produce carbohydrates and nitrogen and obtain minerals and environmental substrate from algae.

Lichens represent a unique division in the plant kingdom. They have been used in Traditional systems of medicine including Traditional Indian Medicine (TIM), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Homeopathic and Western Medical Herbals. Lichens have been used in the treatment of diverse diseases like arthritis, alopecia, constipation, kidney diseases, leprosy, pharyngitis rabies, infection, worm and infestation.

Professor Chair Holder of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Prof. Dr. Ir Lisdar. A. Manaf said, in addition to be utilized as traditional medicine, lichen can be one of the benchmarks or indicators of air quality in a region. Lichens are widely used as environmental indicators or bio-indicators. If air is very badly polluted with sulphur dioxide there may be no lichens present, just green algae may be found.  In part, this is related to their unique biology. Because some lichen can only grow on air quality that does not contain metal content or other contaminants. Air pollution can interfere its growth, reproduction, production of talus shape, ultrastructure changes in the talus, changes in nitrogen fixation, photosynthesis, respiration and other metabolism.

"There have been several attempts to collect information on lichen in Indonesia. One of which is the mapping (mapping) lichen distributions to infer environmental quality of the region, the talus in areas of high pollution and low pollution such as Bogor Botanical Garden as a control. Then look some kind of lichen that is sensitive to pollution or not, "said Prof. Lisdar.

A type of leptogium species was identified occurs on mossy trunks and branches of  trees in front of the International Dormitory of IPB, in Dramaga campus, Bogor. This type of leptogium belongs to a pollen sensitive type of liquefy so it can be interpreted that the air quality in this Campus IPB is quite good, because this type of lichen can grow.

"To realize of IPB Long-term program for conducive and successful learning process, environmentally friendly, and to support the sustainable agro-eco-edu-tourism IPB has established Green Campus program. The program seems successful as IPB has identified the presence of Leptogium species, " he added.

The collection of information on the type of lichen can be developed further and be supported by better methods. (Wied)