Lichen-based indices to quantify responses to climate and air pollution across northeastern U.S.A

Will‐Wolf, Susan; Jovan, Sarah; Neitlich, Peter; Peck, JeriLynn E.; Rosentreter, Roger

doi:10.1639/0007-2745-118.1.059

Cited by 44 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Flacap was indeed collected at more low pollution sites and Phyaip at more high pollution sites, consistent with reported sensitivities (e.g. McCune 1988;Showman 1997;Will-Wolf et al 2015a), but other evidence suggested additional causes. Flacap data did not, like Evemes, exhibit saturation at higher pollution.…”

Section: Bioindicator Development As a Model For Large Monitoring Prosupporting

confidence: 82%

Lichen elemental content bioindicators for air quality in upper Midwest, USA: A model for large-scale monitoring

Will‐Wolf

Jovan

Amacher

2017

Ecological Indicators

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Our development of lichen elemental bioindicators for a United States of America (USA) national monitoring program is a useful model for other large-scale programs. Concentrations of 20 elements were measured, validated, and analyzed for 203 samples of five common lichen species. Collections were made by trained non-specialists near 75 permanent plots and an expert near nine air monitoring sites. Flavoparmelia caperata (most frequent) and Physcia aipolia/stellaris between them represented the full range of local forest cover and pollution load. Evernia mesomorpha (values saturated at intermediate pollution), Parmelia sulcata, and Punctelia rudecta (both difficult for non-specialists) were less useful. Conversion models (GLM or regression) rendered elemental data equivalent between species.

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Section: Bioindicator Development As a Model For Large Monitoring Prosupporting

confidence: 82%

Lichen elemental content bioindicators for air quality in upper Midwest, USA: A model for large-scale monitoring

Will‐Wolf

Jovan

Amacher

2017

Ecological Indicators

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“…We used 90% quantile regression to model relationships between metrics and atmospheric deposition, which provided predictive equations for determining % decline at a given deposition level. Climate is another major driver of lichen communities [31][32][33] and so modeling accounted for potential effects multiple climate variables on metrics. Methodological and analytical uncertainties were assessed.…”

Section: Fxl Group General Ecological Roles Genera Assigned To This Fmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, nitrogen loving species can quickly propagate within a year or two while sensitive species may simultaneously or gradually succumb to suboptimal air quality, altered substrate pH, or drier, warmer climates [77][78][79][80]. Severe depletions of the flora were reported in the second half of the 20th century in the eastern US [33,81,82] related to high levels of acidifying and fertilizing S and N-containing air pollutants and in southern California [83] with high levels of fertilizing and oxidizing pollutants. Lichens do return when conditions are suitable; species of intermediate or high tolerance can return within a few years, but for other species the recovery may take decades [84][85][86][87], with higher cumulative emissions being associated with slower recovery rates [88].…”

Section: Response Time Framesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Ecological Risks from Atmospheric Deposition of Nitrogen and Sulfur to US Forests Using Epiphytic Macrolichens

et al. 2019

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Critical loads of atmospheric deposition help decision-makers identify levels of air pollution harmful to ecosystem components. But when critical loads are exceeded, how can the accompanying ecological risk be quantified? We use a 90% quantile regression to model relationships between nitrogen and sulfur deposition and epiphytic macrolichens, focusing on responses of concern to managers of US forests: Species richness and abundance and diversity of functional groups with integral ecological roles. Analyses utilized national-scale lichen survey data, sensitivity ratings, and modeled deposition and climate data. We propose 20, 50, and 80% declines in these responses as cut-offs for low, moderate, and high ecological risk from deposition. Critical loads (low risk cut-off) for total species richness, sensitive species richness, forage lichen abundance and cyanolichen abundance, respectively, were 3.5, 3.1, 1.9, and 1.3 kg N and 6.0, 2.5, 2.6, and 2.3 kg S ha−1 yr−1. High environmental risk (80% decline), excluding total species richness, occurred at 14.8, 10.4, and 6.6 kg N and 14.1, 13, and 11 kg S ha−1 yr−1. These risks were further characterized in relation to geography, species of conservation concern, number of species affected, recovery timeframes, climate, and effects on interdependent biota, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem services.

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“…Due to water and toxic elements absorption directly from the atmosphere, lichens are regarded as excellent bioindicators of air pollution (Gries 2008;Sujetovienė 2015;Will-Wolf et al 2015). Analytical techniques used for air quality assessment as well as regular monitoring of urban areas allow for the confrontation of the results from biological monitoring and the instrumental measurements of air pollution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Index of Atmospheric Purity reflects the ecological conditions better than the environmental pollution in the Carpathian forests

Tanona

Czarnota

2020

J. Mt. Sci.

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The Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP) is a popular tool used for the assessment of air quality in polluted urban areas, on the basis of phytosociological data of epiphytic lichen communities. We hypothesized that this indicator could also be used in less polluted forest areas to determine the quality of ecological conditions for lichens. The aim of the present study was to verify the use of IAP method in the assessment of environmental pollution, and alternatively for the assessment of general ecological conditions in protected mountain forests of Gorce National Park (Polish Western Carpathians) based on the epiphytic lichen biota associated with Picea abies. The spatial distribution of IAP values on monitored sites in GNP was compared with: 1) spatial distribution of accumulated sulfur, nitrogen, selected heavy metals, and total heavy metals in Hypogymnia physodes thalli in 1993 and 2018 (30 sites), 2) mean ecological indicator values characterizing species requirements for light (L), substrate reaction (R) and nutrients (N), in 1993, 2013 and 2018 (33 sites). Generalized linear model and redundancy analysis were performed for disclosing most influencing factors affecting lichen communities. The study revealed a few negligible relationships between IAP values and accumulation of such elements as Ni, Mn, Cd, and Cr in both monitoring periods. Simultaneously, IAP can be useful for the identification of forest areas with a high degree of naturalness.

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Lichen-based indices to quantify responses to climate and air pollution across northeastern U.S.A

Cited by 44 publications

References 54 publications

Lichen elemental content bioindicators for air quality in upper Midwest, USA: A model for large-scale monitoring

Lichen elemental content bioindicators for air quality in upper Midwest, USA: A model for large-scale monitoring

Assessing Ecological Risks from Atmospheric Deposition of Nitrogen and Sulfur to US Forests Using Epiphytic Macrolichens

Index of Atmospheric Purity reflects the ecological conditions better than the environmental pollution in the Carpathian forests

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