The Secret Global Algae Powerhouse

Trebouxia is a microscopic green alga that thrives everywhere from frozen polar tundras to sweltering tropical forests. It serves as the primary engine for most lichens, acting as a secret partner that feeds fungi across the entire globe.

While most people overlook these tiny cells, they are essential to life on land. By partnering with fungi to form lichen, these algae help create soil and sustain complex ecosystems in places where other plants fail to survive. They possess a remarkable ability to switch between living as independent colonies or functioning as the photosynthetic heart of a lichen. Without this invisible workhorse, many of the world's harshest environments would be completely barren.