How can one correlate the diversity of lichen in an area with the air quality of such an area?
Okon Okon,
Please take a look at the article below.
Article Relationship between lichen diversity and air quality in urb...
Fatima A, Messaoud R, Takia L. 2019. Relationship between lichen diversity and air quality in urban region in Bourdj Bou Arriridj, Algeria. Biodiversitas 20: 2329-2339. The lichenic biodiversity can be an excellent instrument for measuring air quality biomonitoring in urban and industrial areas. Two bio-monitoring techniques were used to assess and map the levels of air quality in Bordj Bou Arreridj region (BBA), an urban area located in Eastern Algeria, and to identify species sensitive to air pollution. The first one was based on the diversity and abundance of epiphytic lichens, while the other technique was using two bio-indication indices. Epiphytic lichens were sampled from thirty-four stations chosen on the basis of the presence of suitable phorophytes on which it is possible to observe lichens. The assessment of lichen biodiversity was based on the calculation of lichenic abundance indices (LA) and the Shannon index (H'). For the determination of the different levels of air pollution, the indices of atmospheric purity (IAP) and lichen diversity (LDV) were used. There were 62 identified species belong to 19 families and 31 genera of lichens, among which crustacean and foliose thalli were the most common in the region. Lichen biodiversity decreased as the sampled location approaching industrial sources and road traffic. The IAP ranged from 16.19-79.82 and LDV values ranged from 12.50-52.16. The results showed a significant relationship between lichen diversity and air quality, and indicated low atmospheric pollution in the BBA region. This study allowed us to draw up a list of sensitive species and tolerant species to air pollution.
Another relevant article appears below.
Article Evaluation of air quality using lichens in three different t...
Please also see the following RG link.
Article May the Diversity of Epiphytic Lichens Be Used in Environmen...
Dear Dr Okon Okon, see the following useful link:
Zhang, T., Wei, XL., Zhang, YQ. et al. Diversity and distribution of lichen-associated fungi in the Ny-Ålesund Region (Svalbard, High Arctic) as revealed by 454 pyrosequencing. Sci Rep 5, 14850 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14850
Dear Dr Okon Okon, please also visit the link below.
Liu, HJ., Fang, SB., Liu, SW. et al. Lichen elemental composition distinguishes anthropogenic emissions from dust storm inputs and differs among species: Evidence from Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China. Sci Rep 6, 34694 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep34694
Lichens show higher sensitivity to air quality because they are dependent on airborne nutrients and water and also lack protective structures such as cuticles found in vascular plants. Trees and other vascular plants are affected by pollution but are much slower to show impacts than lichens (Muir and McCune 1988).
Dear Okon Okon . See the following useful links: Article Relationship between lichen diversity and air quality in urb...
https://smujo.id/biodiv/article/view/4178#:~:text=The%20IAP%20ranged%20from%2016.19,tolerant%20species%20to%20air%20pollution.
Kindly see also the following useful RG links: Article Relationship between lichen diversity and air quality in urb...
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Relationship-between-lichen-diversity-and-air-in-in-Ramdani-Adjiri/df59cde7b0d5ae6626b398d158e2b827affa8a9f
Also check please the following useful RG link: Article Mapping Lichen Diversity as a First Step for Air Quality Assessment
Article Measuring Air Quality using Lichen Mapping at Universiti Keb...
The following useful links are also very useful: http://gis.nacse.org/lichenair/?page=ratings
https://journals.sjp.ac.lk/index.php/fesympo/article/view/4305/3413
Dear @Okon Okon
Lichens are sensitive to atmospheric pollution such as nitrogen (N) because they receive all their nutrients and water from wet and dry atmospheric deposition (fall out). Nitrogen deposition can increase the load of nutrients.
Scientists who monitor the health of the lichens and pair this bio-monitoring data with atmospheric deposition data from the National Atmospheric Deposition Association (NADP) can determine the sources and levels of pollution causing detrimental effects.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/lichens-as-bioindicators.htm
The results showed a significant relationship between lichen diversity and air quality and indicated low atmospheric pollution in the BBA region. This study allowed us to draw up a list of sensitive species and tolerant species to air pollution.
The results of research that has been done showed a significant relationship between lichen diversity and air quality and indicated low atmospheric pollution in the BBA region.
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