New Interpretative Scales for Lichen Bioaccumulation Data: The Italian Proposal

The interpretation of lichen bioaccumulation data is of paramount importance in environmental forensics and decision-making processes. By implementing basic ideas underlying previous interpretative scales, new dimensionless, species-independent “bioaccumulation scales” for native and transplanted li...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Atmosphere 2019-03, Vol.10 (3), p.136
Main Authors: Cecconi, Elva, Fortuna, Lorenzo, Benesperi, Renato, Bianchi, Elisabetta, Brunialti, Giorgio, Contardo, Tania, Di Nuzzo, Luca, Frati, Luisa, Monaci, Fabrizio, Munzi, Silvana, Nascimbene, Juri, Paoli, Luca, Ravera, Sonia, Vannini, Andrea, Giordani, Paolo, Loppi, Stefano, Tretiach, Mauro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pollution
background levels
Bioaccumulation
Biomonitoring
Critical point
Data
Decision making
Distribution
Evernia prunastri
Flavoparmelia caperata
Indigenous species
lichen transplants
Lichens
Life sciences
native lichens
Obsolescence
Outdoor air quality
Pollutants
Pollution
Pseudevernia furfuracea
Ratios
Studies
Trace elements
Transplants
Transplants & implants
Xanthoria parietina
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Summary:The interpretation of lichen bioaccumulation data is of paramount importance in environmental forensics and decision-making processes. By implementing basic ideas underlying previous interpretative scales, new dimensionless, species-independent “bioaccumulation scales” for native and transplanted lichens are proposed. Methodologically consistent element concentration datasets were populated with data from biomonitoring studies relying on native and transplanted lichens. The scale for native lichens was built up by analyzing the distribution of ratios between element concentration data and species-specific background concentration references (B ratios), herein provided for Flavoparmelia caperata and Xanthoria parietina (foliose lichens). The scale for transplants was built up by analyzing the distribution of ratios between element concentration in exposed and unexposed samples (EU ratio) of Evernia prunastri and Pseudevernia furfuracea (fruticose lichens). Both scales consist of five percentile-based classes; namely, “Absence of”, “Low”, “Moderate”, “High”, and “Severe” bioaccumulation. A comparative analysis of extant interpretative tools showed that previous ones for native lichens suffered from the obsolescence of source data, whereas the previous expert-assessed scale for transplants failed in describing noticeable element concentration variations. The new scales, based on the concept that pollution can be quantified by dimensionless ratios between experimental and benchmark values, overcome most critical points affecting the previous scales.
ISSN:2073-4433
2073-4433
DOI:10.3390/atmos10030136