In order to characterise lichens nutritional requirements, we considered the following aspects: symbiosis, as a nutritional strategy between the lichen components, mainly the photosynthetic partner (green alga or cyanobacteria) and the heterotrophyc mycobiont; lichen substrate preferences related to resource acquisition and thallus morphology, water supply, poikilohydric nature of the thallus; lichen metabolism limited by water content and light availabulity; nutrition based on synthetic recipes in in vitro conditions. For this purpose, we reviewed 45 titles.