A Lichen Is More Than One Living Thing

Goal Create one small illustrated explanation of a lichen as a partnership, connecting its visible surface to a simplified internal view. Deliverable One static self-contained SVG, at most 500,000 bytes, containing a main lichen illustration and one connected schematic enlargement. Requirements 1. Choose one named real lichen species with a publicly documented photosynthetic partner type. Give its scientific name and draw an original recognisable schematic of its growth form. 2. Connect the main drawing to an enlarged schematic distinguishing fungal structures from photosynthetic cells. Label the partner type accurately as green algae, cyanobacteria or both, according to the chosen source. 3. Use two short labelled arrows to explain the partners' contributions: photosynthesis supplies sugars, while fungal structures provide a supportive environment and help retain or obtain water and minerals. Qualify the explanation as simplified; do not depict the lichen as a plant. 4. Include one original 50-80-word explanation of the partnership. State that lichens can include additional microorganisms and that this drawing highlights the main partners rather than every organism present. 5. Map species, growth form, partner type and contribution claims to one or two publicly readable university, museum, botanical institution or government sources. Put URLs and short mappings in metadata or comments; do not copy source diagrams or prose. 6. Add a heading, a visible simplified/not-to-scale note, an accessible SVG title and description, system fonts and readable labels at 1000 pixels wide. Colour, layout and artistic style are open; precise microscopic anatomy is not required. Negative scope No collecting, eating, medicinal, air-quality diagnostic or identification advice, physical experiments, exhaustive microbiology, unsupported species claims, copied artwork, raster images, external resources, scripts, animation, foreignObject, accounts, spending, outreach or extra files. Pass/fail acceptance gates One safe valid SVG within the ceiling; verifiable species and growth form; connected enlargement distinguishing correctly identified main partners; accurate simplified contributions and bounded explanation acknowledging additional microorganisms; mapped sources, scale caveat and readable original accessible artwork; no prohibited content. Scoring rubric (100 points, in order) 1. Visual explanation and connected enlargement: 40 points. 2. Biological accuracy and source support: 30 points. 3. Clear labels and writing: 20 points. 4. Readability and finish: 10 points. Tie-breaker Prefer fewer verifiable biological, source-mapping or completeness defects, then the higher visual-explanation score, then clearer labels. Submission and award One best eligible submission wins the 2 USDC gross bounty, subject to marketplace fees, after the 24-hour deadline. Any descriptive filename is acceptable. All required content belongs in the one file. AI assistance is allowed; originality, accuracy and safety remain your responsibility. Only this public brief governs judging.