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Qualitative Scale for estimating Sulphur Dioxide Air Pollution in England and Wales using Epiphytic Lichens

  • July 1970
  • Nature 227(5254):145-148
DOI:10.1038/227145a0
Authors:
David Hawksworth at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
David Hawksworth
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Abstract

The sulphur dioxide in the air can be estimated qualitatively by studying the lichens growing on trees. A ten-point scale has been constructed and used in pilot surveys in England and Wales, south-east England and the city of Leicester.
Hawksworth & Rose (1970) SO2 Lichen Sca
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... The weak increase in species richness in the pre-rain period 1986-2000 ( Fig. 2A) probably occurred as a result of strongly declining decreasing S-deposition (Vestreng et al., 2007) after the peak in S-emissions around 1970 (Fowler et al., 2007). The lichen flora across wide areas was then impoverished (e.g., Hawksworth and Rose 1970), although less severely in the studied rural sites. ...
Recovery kinetics of epiphytic lichen diversity after dieback during a continuously wet season
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Epiphytic lichens are considered sensitive indicators of environmental change. Excess water is known to depress their photosynthesis, but the effect of long-lasting rain on species richness of epiphytic lichens is rarely reported. By annually repeated records of macrolichen species richness on tree trunks over a period of 33 years that included one long rainy season in year 2000, a strong decline in macrolichen richness on tree trunks was detected after the unusually wet autumn. Afterwards, the lichen richness slowly recovered, but had not yet fully recovered 19 years after the dieback. Thereby, long rainy periods can cause lasting depression in epiphytic lichen richness, and continuous rain should be considered a possible threat to lichens in regions like northern Europe where global change predicts enhanced rainfall frequency.
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... The sensitivity of L. pulmonaria to atmospheric pollution, especially to SO 2 and heavy metals, has been traditionally acknowledged in lichen monitoring (e.g., [131]). On the whole, the scientific literature highlighted that toxic air pollutants such as SO 2 , NO x , and acid rain have a double detrimental effect, both by direct phytotoxicity and by secondary bark acidification [39], which in the past caused the disappearance or the substitution of Lobarion vegetation with other, more acid-tolerant, lichen communities [132]. ...
Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm.: The Multifaceted Suitability of the Lung Lichen to Monitor Forest Ecosystems
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  • Oct 2023
Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. is a tripartite, broad-lobed foliose lichen usually found on bark and on epiphytic and epilithic mosses in humid forests. Currently, the species is threatened in most European countries because of its sensitivity to environmental alterations. In this paper, a total of 107 previous studies across more than 50 years were analysed to gain insight into the multiple roles that L. pulmonaria plays in forest habitats, specifically relating to ecosystem services and as environmental bioindicator. Content analysis was employed to systematically characterise and classify the existing papers on the functions performed by L. pulmonaria into several groups mostly based on research topic and scope. Two main types of ecosystem services (N2 fixation and feeding) offered by L. pulmonaria have been identified, with varying research aims and types of parameters measured in the studies. Two aspects of current biomonitoring applications using L. pulmonaria in forest habitats (concerning atmospheric pollution and forest management) were analysed, and it was found that the number of related studies increased significantly in recent years. Finally, the current practices of monitoring using L. pulmonaria as a biological indicator are discussed, and recommendations are provided.
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... Ecologically, lichen communities have been proposed to be reliable indicators of ecological continuity (Selva 2003, Tibell 1992, Wiersma and McMullin 2022, biodiversity conservation value (Malíček et al. 2019, Miller et al. 2020, and atmospheric pollution (Hawksworth and Rose 1970, McMullin et al. 2017a, Richardson 1988, Will-Wolf et al. 2015. Lichens also provide camouflage and shelter for insects (Miranda-González et al. 2023, Pettersson et al. 1995, nesting material for birds (most notably hummingbirds; Baicich andHarrison 2005, Hansell 1996), and winter food for Rangifer tarandus (L.) (Caribou) (Webber et al. 2022). ...
Checklist of Lichens and Associated Fungi from Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Québec, Canada
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This first annotated checklist of the lichens and associated fungi from Min-gan Archipelago National Park Reserve (Québec, Canada) was compiled with the aim of enhancing the ecological knowledge from this regional biodiversity hotspot. I collected specimens in 2021 and 2022 and reviewed previous records based on vouchers deposited at the Louis-Marie Herbarium. A total of 257 species belonging to 96 genera are reported for the protected area, 3 of which represent the first published occurrence with an associated , digitized voucher for the province of Québec: Lecanactis abietina, Opegrapha vulgata, and Usnea diplotypus. This work highlights that Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve has the potential to be recognized as an area of high lichen diversity in northeastern North America. Further distribution or reproduction of the manuscript, either in whole or in part, except for personal research purposes, is prohibited without the written permission of the publisher, Eagle Hill Institute.
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... It should be noted that the effect of dust pollution on lichens is less studied (Zvereva et al, 2008;Paoli et al., 2014;Rai, 2016;Degtjarenko et al., 2018) when compared with the effect of acid-forming gaseous emissions (SO 2 , NO x , NH 3 , etc.), the most harmful for epiphytic lichens (Hawksworth and Rose, 1970;Skye, 1979;Nielson and Martin, 1982;Insarova, 1982;Santamaria and Martín, 1997;van Herk, 2001;Sujetoviene, 2015;etc.). ...
Reaction of the Lichen Hypogymnia physodes to Dust Pollution in the Influence Zone of the Middle Timan Bauxite Mine
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  • Jun 2023
Here we present the results of long-term monitoring (2002–2017) of epiphytic lichen Hypogymniaphysodes in the zone of influence of the Middle Timan bauxite mine (MTBM) (Komi Republic). Dust witha predominance of Al and Fe is the main environmental pollutant in this area. Three periods of the responseof lichen to dust pollution are identified: shock, maximum changes, and adaptation. The dust pollution sig-nificantly reduced the projective cover of the species under study, increased the frequency of thallus necrosis,and decreased thallus linear dimensions. In the 10 years after we started our monitoring studies, the parame-ters of the vital state of H. physodes began to stabilize and then improve due to the adaptation of the lichen tochronic environmental pollution with dust. The study of changes in the content of main pollutants showedthat, during the mining operation, they accumulate in the thalli of the lichen H. physodes in the followingorder: Al > Fe > Ni > Cu > Pb. (PDF) Reaction of the Lichen Hypogymnia physodes to Dust Pollution in the Influence Zone of the Middle Timan Bauxite Mine. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371678231_Reaction_of_the_Lichen_Hypogymnia_physodes_to_Dust_Pollution_in_the_Influence_Zone_of_the_Middle_Timan_Bauxite_Mine [accessed Oct 05 2023].
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... Asimismo, tenemos a la zona 3 que es la zona inferior, más alejada a la zona de quema tiene un valor de 12,6; la zona 4 que es la zona central este a la zona quemada tiene un valor de 11,8 y por último la zona 5 que es la zona superior este a 100 m de la zona quemada con un valor de 6,4; estas 3 zonas se encuentran en el rango de IPA de 5,5 al 15,5 en la zona de pobre presencia de líquenes. según (Hawksworth & Rose, 1970 Es importante mencionar que una de las limitantes existentes en la realización de la presente investigación fue la identificación de especies de líquenes, mismo que se recomienda para futuros estudios. ...
Líquenes como bioindicadores de la calidad del aire en la Comunidad Nativa Shawan Rama, San Ramón (Perú)
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  • Dec 2022
El empleo de líquenes como bioindicadores es extensamente reconocido, en especial para conocer la presencia de contaminantes atmosféricos en una determinada zona. El objetivo de la investigación fue evaluar la calidad del aire de la Comunidad Nativa (CC.NN.) Shawan Rama utilizando los líquenes. Para este estudio, se tomaron datos de 25 forófitos (arboles de muestreo) agrupadas en 5 zonas de muestreo del área de estudio, circundantes a la zona quemada y alejada al mismo de la CC.NN. Shawan Rama, se calculó el índice de Pureza Atmosférica (IPA) de cada zona. El estudio reveló la presencia de 3 tipos de líquenes (fruticulosos, crustáceos y foliosos), siendo la de mayor frecuencia los líquenes crustáceos. En cuanto a los valores del IPA se encontró que la zona 5 (IPA= 6.4), posee el nivel más bajo en calidad de aire, en relación a las demás zonas, dividiéndose estas en dos grupos respectivamente (Z3 – Z4) y (Z1 – Z2) con valores oscilantes entre (11.8 – 12.6) y (26.8 – 28.6). En conclusión, los valores obtenidos del IPA nos indica que la CC.NN. Shawan Rama posee una calidad del aire regular.
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... Lichens are among the most sensitive communities to air pollution; thus, they can provide informative details of the effects of dust on vegetation (Gilbert, 1973;Hawksworth & Rose, 1970;LeBlanc & De Sloover, 1970;Nash III, 2008). A total of 7 lichen species were observed on the investigated trees (A. ...
Bark, soil and lichens are effective indicators of dust from limestone industries in Thailand
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Cement production, quarrying and stone crushing are major emission sources of alkaline dust that can affect human health and vegetation. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential of using bark pH, soil pH and lichen community for indicating alkaline dust pollution. Twelve polluted sites were in a limestone industrial area. Bark pH and the lichen community were observed on Alstonia scholaris trees, and soil pH was obtained from topsoil samples. The bark pH at all polluted sites was significantly higher (5.5 to 7.3) than that at the unpolluted site (4.3). Among the polluted sites, the highest bark pH value was observed at the nearest site to the center of the industrial area, while the lowest value was discovered at the farthest site. Bark pH showed a strongly negative correlation with the distance from the center. Soil pH at the unpolluted site (6.3) was also significantly lower than that at the polluted sites (7.6 to 8.1), except at the farthest site (6.5). The soil pH also tended to increase closer to the center. Seven lichen species were observed on the trunks of investigated trees in all polluted sites and were observed only at sites more than 4.7 km away from the center, where bark pH ranged from 5.5 to 6.3. The extent of dust impact on vegetation seemed to be within 6–7 km from the center. The results of this study confirm the potential of the bark pH of A. scholaris, soil pH and lichen community as long-term indicators of alkaline dust pollution.
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... However, cyanolichens can be susceptible to anthropogenic pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen (Yazici and Aslan 2006;Loppi and Corsini 2003;Jeran et al. 2007;Giordani 2007;Nash 1976;Hawksworth and Rose 1970) that are conspicuous in most urban environments, and this susceptibility of some cyanolichens and the tolerance of others, provides a mosaic horizon of enrichment of tolerant macroscopic lifeforms. The uptake of pollutants via the larger thallus area (example isidia in the genus Lobaria), and the absence of waxy cuticles and stomata, relegates lichens to be more susceptible than plants, which absorb pollutants primarily through rhizobiological means (Cornejo and Scheidegger 2015). ...
Sulfur is in the Air: Cyanolichen Marriages and Pollution
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Cyanolichens are symbiotic organisms involving cyanobacteria and fungi (bipartite) or with the addition of an algal partner (tripartite). Cyanolichens are known for their heightened susceptibility to environmental pollution. We focus here on the impacts on cyanolichens due to rising air pollution; we are especially interested in the role of sulfur dioxide on cyanolichen biology. Cyanolichens due to air pollution including sulfur dioxide exposure, show symptomatic changes including degradation of chlorophyll, lipid membrane peroxidation, decrease in ATP production, changes in respiration rate, and alteration of endogenous auxins and ethylene production, although symptoms are known to vary with species and genotype. Sulfur dioxide has been shown to be damaging to photosynthesis but is relatively benign on nitrogen fixation which proposes as a hypothesis that the algal partner may be more in harm's way than the cyanobiont. In fact, the Nostoc cyanobiont of sulfur dioxide-susceptible Lobaria pulmonaria carries a magnified set of sulfur (alkane sulfonate) metabolism genes capable of alkane sulfonate transport and assimilation, which were only unraveled by genome sequencing, a technology unavailable in the 1950-2000 epoch, where most physiology- based studies were performed. There is worldwide a growing corpus of evidence that sulfur has an important role to play in biological symbioses including rhizobia-legumes, mycorrhizae-roots and cyanobacteria-host plants. Furthermore, the fungal and algal partners of L. pulmonaria appear not to have the sulfonate transporter genes again providing the roles of ambient-sulfur (alkanesulfonate metabolism etc.) mediated functions primarily to the cyanobacterial partner. In conclusion, we have addressed here the role of the atmospheric pollutant sulfur dioxide to tripartite cyanolichen viability and suggest that the weaker link is likely to be the photosynthetic algal (chlorophyte) partner and not the nitrogen-fixing cyanobiont.
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... For example, P. furfuracea can inhabit places where the content of sulphur dioxide in the air episodically reaches 50-60 μg/m 3 (Bielczyk, 2001). Platismatia glauca, on the other hand, is rarely found in places with this level of air pollution and, when found, its thalli are usually degenerated (Bielczyk, 2001;Hawskworth and Rose, 1970). The results show that the pollution-sensitive study species, P. glauca, can retain more rainwater than the less-sensitive study species, P. furfuracea in nonurban conditions. ...
Influence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on water storage capacity of two lichens species
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Full-text available
  • May 2023
The wide variability in functional traits that enable the cosmopolitan distribution of lichens often includes the water storage capacity, S, of their thallus. Lichen S in forest canopies can be large enough to intercept and evaporate significant amounts of rainwater, contributing to the runoff-reduction ecosystem services provided by urban forests; however, S is likely influenced by the presence of air pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs) in urban areas. PAHs, being both chemically hydrophobic and damaging to lichen thalli, are expected to reduce lichens’ S and, thereby, limit their contribution to hydrologic ecoservices of urban forests. Hence, the relationship between PAH accumulation and rainwater uptake was examined for two lichen species, common in urban forests around the world – Platismatia glauca and Pseudevernia furfuracea . Samples were collected from an area of low air pollution and another area in a highly urbanized city centre with high air pollution exposure (Kraków, Poland). Lichen S was determined using laboratory-simulated rainfall. PAH bioaccumulation differed between species and among the samples from clean and polluted environments. After exposure to polluted air, the concentration of PAHs was higher in P. glauca than P. furfuracea. Samples from the non-urban setting, however, showed no differences between the two species. In the case of P. glauca , S decreased from 35.8% in samples from clean environment to 8.3% after six months of exposure in the urban setting. The respective S values for P. furfuracea were 25.4% and 12.4%. Results strongly suggest that PAH exposure reduces S in both lichen species. The obtained results are important both in ecohydrology and microclimatology and are part of the research on the condition of urban forests.
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Líquenes como bioindicadores de la calidad del aire en la Comunidad Nativa Shawan Rama, San Ramón (Perú)
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2022
El empleo de líquenes como bioindicadores es extensamente reconocido, en especial para conocer la presencia de contaminantes atmosféricos en una determinada zona. El objetivo de la investigación fue evaluar la calidad del aire de la Comunidad Nativa (CC.NN.) Shawan Rama utilizando los líquenes. Para este estudio, se tomaron datos de 25 forófitos (arboles de muestreo) agrupadas en 5 zonas de muestreo del área de estudio, circundantes a la zona quemada y alejada al mismo de la CC.NN. Shawan Rama, se calculó el índice de Pureza Atmosférica (IPA) de cada zona. El estudio reveló la presencia de 3 tipos de líquenes (fruticulosos, crustáceos y foliosos), siendo la de mayor frecuencia los líquenes crustáceos. En cuanto a los valores del IPA se encontró que la zona 5 (IPA= 6.4), posee el nivel más bajo en calidad de aire, en relación a las demás zonas, dividiéndose estas en dos grupos respectivamente (Z3 – Z4) y (Z1 – Z2) con valores oscilantes entre (11.8 – 12.6) y (26.8 – 28.6). En conclusión, los valores obtenidos del IPA nos indica que la CC.NN. Shawan Rama posee una calidad del aire regular.
View
Fungi as environmental bioindicators
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Environmental bioindicators are species or communities of animals, plants, bacteria, fungi, algae, lichens, and planktons whose existence, quantity, and nature can be used to make inferences on the quality of the environment. Bioindicators can be used to detect environmental contaminants by on-site visual inspections or through laboratory analysis. Fungi are one of the most important groups of environmental bioindicators due to their ubiquitous distribution, diverse ecological roles, remarkable biological diversity, and high sensitivity to environmental changes. This review provide a comprehensive reappraisal of using various groups of fungi, fungal communities, symbiotic associations with fungal component, biomarkers of fungi as "mycoindicators" to assess the quality of air, water and soil. Fungi are exploited by researchers as double-edged tools for both biomonitoring and mycoremediation simultaneously. The applications of bioindicators have advanced through the integration of genetic engineering, high-throughput DNA sequencing, and gene editing techniques. Therefore mycoindicators are significant as an emerging tool for more accurate and affordable early detection of environmental contaminants toward the mitigation efforts of pollution in both natural and man-made environment.
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Cytokinesis in the Green Alga Fritschiella
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CYTOKINESIS in the algae, including the green algae, is generally believed to be characterized by centripetal development of the new cell wall. In the green land plants, on the other hand, a cell plate forms in the phragmoplast between two telophase nuclei and expands centrifugally until it separates the daughter cells. It is generally accepted that the land plants evolved from specialized green algae which invaded the land, and it is reasonable to assume that various cellular processes, including cytokinesis, were modified early in the evolution of the terrestrial plant cell from its ancestral green algal cell, and that these modifications were passed onto the land plants as well as to some modern green algae.
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Bryophytes as indicators of air pollution in the Tyne Valley
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S ummary Detailed mapping and recording have shown that many of the commonest bryophytes in Northumberland are totally absent from a large part of the Lower Tyne Valley. The affected area is centred on the coalfield where scattered colliery towns, burning pit heaps and the huge conurbation of Newcastle upon Tyne lie. Emphasis is laid on sulphur dioxide pollution being responsible. Two anomalous situations where sensitive species are found growing well inside their normal limit were investigated. It appears that shelter has a greatly modifying effect in reducing SO 2 (but not smoke) levels and that a high pH influences the degree of ionization and rate of oxidation of SO 3 = so as to favour survival. Protonemata appear to be more sensitive than mature gametophytes. Most bryophytes cannot exist when the average winter concentration of SO 2 exceeds 50 μg/ m ³ or 0.01 ppm.
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Influence of an Iron-Sintering Plant on Corticolous Epiphytes in Wawa, Ontario
Article
  • Jan 1967
An inventory of the epiphytic vegetation of Wawa, Ontario, was made at 64 sites, and 112 species (73 lichens, 39 bryophytes) were recorded. The distribution of sulfur dioxide from an iron-sintering plant there, as well as the pH and sulfate content of surface water, soil, and vegetation, were determined. The fallout pattern of sulfur dioxide and the chemical indices (pH and SOâ/sup - -/) of water and soil were correlated with the epiphytic vegetation. With a rise in the concentration of sulfur dioxide in air and of sulfate in water and soil, a marked reduction of epiphytes, both in number and abundance of species, was noted. There was also a significant decrease in the sulfur content of the vegetation with increased distance from the center of pollution. According to the pattern of pollution, five zones were delimited, corresponding to effects upon the epiphytic vegetation. There are various degrees of toxiphoby among epiphytes (from highly tolerant to highly sensitive), and certain lichens and mosses can serve as indicators of an atmosphere unpolluted by sulfur dioxide.
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Disulphide Bridges of a Human Immunoglobulin G Protein
Article
  • Jan 1968
HUMAN heavy chains can be classified as one of four types1,2-gamma1, gamma2, gamma3 or gamma4-which have been shown by fingerprint studies to be generally similar in their Fc regions3,4. Similarities in the C-terminal regions5 and the disulphide bridges6,7 of the Fc regions of these types have also been observed. The preceding paper presents sequences around the disulphide bridges of the Fd portions of gamma1 chains and gives evidence suggesting that, as in light chains8, one of the two intrachain bridges investigated is common to all IgG1 proteins, while the other is a ``variable'' bridge.
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The Investigation of Atmospheric Pollution (various cyclostyled publications)
  • Technology Ministry