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Long-Term Biomonitoring with Lichens: Comparing Data from Different Sampling Procedures

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Abstract

The results of 2 biomonitoring surveys carried out over a span of 7 years (1996–2003) in the Province of Ancona (central Italy) using the diversity of epiphytic lichens are reported. According to a recent standardisation process, in 2003 a different protocol was adopted, raising the problem of data comparability with the previous study. For this reason, a ‘pilot study' was carried out in which the two sampling tactics were both used. The high correlation between biodiversity values proved by the results of this study, let to compare the two lichen diversity data set and to identify the impacts on lichen communities of temporal variations of atmospheric quality in the study area, showing a reduction of stations classified as ‘altered' and an increase in stations classified as ‘semi-altered'. Furthermore, possible reduction of the sampling effort was detected performing a study on the sampling density of the survey area, indicating in a 6 × 6 km grid the best density to adopt in order to save financial resources for the future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali ‘G. Sarfatti', Univesità di Siena, Via Mattioli 4, I-53100, Siena, Italy

    Luisa Frati

  2. Laboratorio di Biologia e Diversità dei Vegetali, DIP.TE.RIS., Università di Genova, Corso Dogali 1M, I-16136, Genova, Italy

    Giorgio Brunialti

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  1. Luisa Frati
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  2. Giorgio Brunialti
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Correspondence to Luisa Frati.

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Frati, L., Brunialti, G. Long-Term Biomonitoring with Lichens: Comparing Data from Different Sampling Procedures. Environ Monit Assess 119, 391–404 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-005-9032-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-005-9032-5

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