Lichens on Tasmanian rocks

Arriving at The Bay of Fires…
Veronica: It was named by Tobias Furneaux. He saw the fires of Aboriginal people burning on the beaches. But I think these red rocks could also be a reason. They look like they're on fire.
Rebecca: The red color comes from lichen. Do you know much about lichen?
Veronica: Do you know much about lichen?
Rebecca: They can survive in challenging environments, like rocks or even colorsteel roofs.
Veronica: Ah, the lichen that grows on your roof you’re talking about?
Rebecca: Yep. Grows slowly, so the lichen here is probably pretty ancient.
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Voice-over
Lichens are a partnership, a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae or cyanobacteria. The fungi provide structure and protection, while the algae or cyanobacteria produce food through photosynthesis. Thriving in a clean air environment, they are a useful bioindicator.

The intelligence of fungi

Believe it or not...

Paul: Most fungi have a symbiotic relationship with their host.

Kris: Meaning a cooperative relationship?

Paul: Yes, like plants get what they want from fungi and fungi get what they want from plants. But there are aggressively parasitic fungi too. Ones that can take over a body. There's a jungle fungus that rains its spores down on ants passing below. The spores fill the ants bodies up and they become zombie fungus ants.

Kris: No, you're making this up.

Paul: I tell you, fungus in ants clothing. But most of evolution is a mix of cooperation and competition. You find find both in Nature.

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Voice-over

Merlin Sheldrake describes the intelligence of fungi. Their hyphae are like a collaborative system, a social network, a web of interconnected "thinking".

Plant and Animal Feelings

On cooking and chasing...

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Josella: Plants must feel sorry for animals.

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Bill: Why?

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The Bridge of Screams

Josella: Animals have to keep moving looking for food. Plants can just stay in one place and make their own food.

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Bill: But maybe animals feel sorry for plants. Animals eat plants. They can’t run away. Someone once asked me, “Can’t you hear a lettuce scream when you slice it up?”

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Josella: I heard that question way back in the 1960s.

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Bill: So do animals feel sorry for plants?

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Josella: Extreme vegans, like at Level 5, might.

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Bill: Extreme vegan? What is a level 5 vegan?

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Josella: Someone who never eats anything that casts a shadow.

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Voice-over

Plants are sessile, they don’t move. Animals are motile, they move. But if the objective is to propagate the species, both are successful. Plants spread their seeds by wind, and by animals. As a life form plants are mobile. They don’t care about the individual as long as the species flourishes. Animals invest more personal drama and mobility in reproducing. They resist perishing, as if their personal survival is linked to the perpetuation of the species.

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