Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lichen Diversity and Lichen Transplants as Monitors of Air Pollution in a Rural Area of Central Italy

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The results of a biomonitoring study carried out in the Municipality of Colle di Val d'Elsa (central Italy), using the diversity of epiphytic lichens and the accumulation of selected elements in thalli of the lichen Evernia prunastri transplanted in two urban sites are reported. The results indicate that the survey area suffers from different types of pollution. The main air pollutants are NO X and Pb. Vehicular traffic and domestic heating are the main sources of the former, and traffic and a crystal factory of the latter. Furthermore, most study area is eutrophicated due to diffuse agricultural activities and the presence of pig and sheep stockfarms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adriano, D. C.: 1986, Trace Elements in the Terrestrial Environment, Springer, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Chalabi, A. S. and Hawker, D.: 1996, ‘Retention and exchange behaviour of vehicular lead in street dusts from major roads’, Sci. Total Environ. 187, 105–119.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bari, A., Rosso, A., Minciardi, M. R., Troiani, F. and Piervittori, R.: 2001, ‘Analysis of heavy metals in atmospheric particulates in relation to their bioaccumulation in explanted Pseudevernia furfuracea thalli’, Environ. Monit. Assess. 69, 205–220.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barkman, J. J.: 1958, Phytosociology and Ecology of Cryptogamic Epiphytes, Assen, Van Gorcum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bettinelli, M., Spezia, S. and Bizzarri, G.: 1996, ‘Trace element determination in lichens by ICP-MS’, Atom. Spectrosc. 17, 133–141.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cercasov, V., Pantelică, A., Sălăgean, M., Caniglia, G. and Scarlat, A.: 2002, ‘Comparative study of the suitability of three lichen species to trace-element air monitoring’, Environ. Pollut. 119, 129–139.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cislaghi, C. and Nimis, P. L.: 1997, ‘Lichens, air pollution and lung cancer’, Nature 387, 463–464.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frati, L., Brunialti, G. and Loppi, S.: 2004, ‘Problems related to lichen transplants to monitor trace element deposition in repeated surveys: A case study from central Italy’, J. Atmos. Chem. in press.

  • Garty, J.: 1993, ‘Lichens as Biomonitors for Heavy Metal Pollution’, in: B. Markert (ed), Plants as biomonitors. Indicators for Heavy Metals in the Terrestrial Environment, VCH, Weinheim, pp. 193–263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garty, J., Ziv, O. and Eshel, A.: 1985, ‘The effect of coating polymers on accumulation of airborne heavy metals by lichens’, Environ. Pollut. 38, 213–220.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, O. L.: 1973, ‘ The Effect of Airborne Fluorides’, in: B. W. Ferry, M. S. Beddeley and D. L. Hawksworth (eds), Air Pollution and Lichens, Athlone Press, London, pp. 176–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, O. L.: 1976, ‘An alkaline dust effect on epiphytic lichens’, Lichenologist 8, 173–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kakulu, S. E.: 2003, ‘Trace metal concentration in roadside surface soil and tree bark: a measurement of local atmospheric pollution in Abuja, Nigeria’, Environ. Monit. Assess. 89, 233–242.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loppi, S.: 2004, ‘Mapping the Effects of Air Pollution, Nitrogen Deposition, Agriculture and Dust by the Diversity of Epiphytic Lichens in Central Italy’, in P. Lambley, P. Wolseley (eds), Lichens in a Changing Pollution Environment, English Nature Research Reports, London, pp. 37–43.

  • Loppi, S. and De Dominicis, V.: 1996, ‘Lichens as long-term biomonitors of air quality in central Italy’, Acta Bot. Neerl. 45, 563–570.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loppi, S. and Corsini, A.: 2003, ‘Diversity of epiphytic lichens and metal contents of Parmelia caperata thalli as monitors of air pollution in the town of Pistoia’, Environ. Monit. Assess. 86, 289–301.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loppi, S. and Pirintsos, S. A.: 2000, ‘Effect of dust on epiphytic lichen vegetation in the Mediterranean area (Italy and Greece)’, Israel J. Plant Sci. 48, 91–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loppi, S., Frati, L., Paoli, L., Bigagli, V., Rossetti, C., Bruscoli, C. and Corsini, A.: 2004, ‘Biodiversity of epiphytic lichens and heavy metal contents of Flavoparmelia caperata thalli as indicators of temporal variations of air pollution in the town of Montecatini Terme (central Italy)’, Sci. Total Environ. 326, 113–122.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loppi, S., Giordani, P., Brunialti, G., Isocrono, D. and Piervittori R.: 2002a, ‘A new scale for the interpretation of lichen biodiversity values in the Tyrrhenian side of Italy’, Bibl. Lichenol. 82, 237–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loppi, S., Pacioni, G., Olivieri, N. and Di Giacomo, F.: 1998b, ‘Accumulation of trace metals in the lichen Evernia prunastri trasplanted at biomonitoring sites in central Italy’, Bryologist 101, 451–454.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loppi, S., Putortì, E., Signorini, C., Fommei, S., Pirintsos, S. A. and De Dominicis, V.: 1998a, ‘A retrospective study using epiphytic lichens as biomonitors of air quality: 1980 and 1996 (Tuscany, central Italy)’, Acta Oecol. 19, 405–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, W. J. and Feder, W. A.: 1980, Biomonitoring Air Pollutants with Plants, Applied Science Publishers, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monaci, F., Moni, F., Lanciotti, E., Grechi, D. and Bargagli, R.: 2000, ‘Biomonitoring of airborne metals in urban environments: new tracers of vehicle emission, in place of lead’, Environ. Pollut. 107, 321–327.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nash, T. H. and Sommerfeld, M. R.: 1981, ‘Elemental concentrations in lichens in the area of the Four Corners power plant, New Mexico’, Environ. Exp. Bot. 21, 153–162.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nimis, P. L.: 2003, ‘Checklist of Italian lichens 3.0’, University of Trieste, Department of Biology, IN3.0/2, available at http://dbiodbs.univ.trieste.it

  • Nimis, P. L., Scheidegger, C. and Wolseley, P.:2002, Monitoring with Lichens – Monitoring Lichens, Kluwer, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nriagu, J. O. and Nieboer, E.: 1988, Chromium in the Natural and Human Environments, John Wiley and Sons, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, D. F.: 1992, ‘Relationship between fluoride contents and loss of lichens near an aluminium works’, Water Air Soil Poll. 64, 503–510.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruoss, E.: 1999, ‘How agriculture affects lichen vegetation in central Switzerland’, Lichenologist 31, 63–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seaward, M. R. D.: 1993, ‘Lichens and sulphur dioxide air pollution: field studies’, Environ. Rev. 1, 73–91.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sloof, J. E.: 1995, ‘Lichens as quantitative biomonitors for atmospheric trace-elements deposition, using transplants’, Atmos. Environ. 29, 11–20.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sochting, U.: 1995, ‘Lichens as monitors of nitrogen deposition’, Cryptogamic Botany 5, 264–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Takala, K. and Olkonnen, H.: 1981, ‘Lead content of an epiphytic lichen in the urban area of Kuopio, east central Finland’, Ann. Bot. Fenn. 18, 85–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Dobben, H. F. and Ter Braak, J. F.:1998, ‘Effects of atmospheric NH3 on epiphytic lichens in The Netherlands: The pitfalls of biological monitoring’, Atmos. Environ. 32, 551–557.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Herk, C. M.: 1999, ‘Mapping of ammonia pollution with epiphytic lichens in The Netherlands’, Lichenologist 31, 9–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolseley, P. and James, P.: 2002, ‘Assessing the Role of Biological Monitoring Using Lichens to Map Excessive Ammonia (NH3) Deposition in the UK’, in: Report Produced by Imperial College and The Natural History Museum ‘Effects of NO X and NH 3 on Lichen Communities and Urban Ecosystems. A Pilot Study’, London.

  • Wolterbeek, H. T. and Bode, P.: 1995, ‘Strategies in sampling and sample handling in the context of large-scale plant biomonitoring surveys of trace element air pollution’, Sci. Total Environ. 176, 33–43.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali “G. Sarfatti”, Università di Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, Siena, Italy

    Stefano Loppi & Luisa Frati

Authors
  1. Stefano Loppi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Luisa Frati
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefano Loppi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Loppi, S., Frati, L. Lichen Diversity and Lichen Transplants as Monitors of Air Pollution in a Rural Area of Central Italy. Environ Monit Assess 114, 361–375 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-4937-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-4937-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation