1 Using lichen as bioindicator of air pollution Presented at JFY 2003 Acid deposition Monitoring and Assessment Third country Training by : Dr. Kansri Boonpragob Department of Biology Ramkhamhaeng University Bangkok, Thailand Path way of pollutants in the atmosphere O 2 O 2 O 2 Source Transport & Transform Sink Ecosystem Plant Animal Human SO 2 SO 2 H 2 O H 2 O NO x NO x H 2 SO 4 HNO 3 etc. 2 Brief history of using lichens as bioindicator of air pollution  Other air pollutants, NO x , O 3 , heavy metals, HF, organic pollutants, caused disappearance of lichens from cities & industrial areas.  In 1866 it was noted that lichens disappeared from Jardin de Luxembourg near Paris. * Smoke from burning of coal was the course. * SO 2 from burning coal damaged to lichens. * Lichens have been used as bioindicator of air pollution world wide Background : What are lichens ? • Lichens are epiphyte • They live on surfaces of bark, rock, soil and several substrates 3 * Lichens depend on atmospheric moisture : rain , fog & dew for growth * Lichens are sensitive to air pollution * Pollutants in the air dissolved in atmospheric water are damaged to lichens Ramalina farinacea Lichens are differently sensitivity to air pollution Fruticose: The most sensitive Foliose: The second Crustose: The most resistance 4 * Fruticose lichens are the most sensitive: Lichens are differently sensitive to air pollution * They are the first group to disappear from polluted areas Lichens are differently sensitive to air pollution * Foliose lichens are the second group to disappear from polluted area 5 • Some of them thrive well in the polluted cities These are Lichens are differently sensitive to air pollution Crustose lichens are the most resistance to air pollution * In Bangkok : 7 species have been recorded * In Europe : Lecanora conizoides How to use lichens as bioindicator of air pollution & acid deposition 2. Physiology changes: changes in chlorophyll content & photosynthesis at various air qualities Æ fast response There are two alternative methods: 1. Community changes: changes in species composition at different levels of pollution Æ slow response 6 Lichen Community changes * Identify species of the lichens * Change in species composition of lichens at different levels of pollution * Explore lichens at various distances i.e. 1 km, 5 km, 20 km, 50, 100, 300 etc km around sources of pollution : cities, industrial plants Transect showing that the number of lichens growing on the tops of sandstone walls, on asbestos roofs, and on ash trees decline as New Castle is approached from the west (From Gilbert 1965) Sand stone Roof Ash tree 7 Relative cover and biomass of two lichen species on ash trees along an east – west transect to the west of New Castle, England (From Gilbert, 1969) biomass cover Evernia punestri Lecanora conizaoeides cover Lichen desert: Map of the Tyne Valley showing the concentric lichen deserts: on asbestos, on sandstone, and on ash trees. A s h t r e e s S a n d s t o n e R o o f 8 00000000112232554576666 % cover sensiti ve lichen 4.03.03.63.43.93.43.63.33.63.94.44.44.34.34.24.2pH 011.734.766.57899.510.512.514.516.519 Distan ces (miles) pH from bark of ash trees and lichen covers along distance from the city of New Castle to the west A transect from Bangkok to Khao yai National Park shows four lichen collecting localities Bangkok Urban Rajamongkol Inst. Tech Sub urban Phra tamnak temple, Nakornnayok Rural Khao yai National Park Remote 9 A transect from Bangkok to Khao yai National Park to explore lichen communities on 20 trees at each collecting site 55 (520)2087 No. of species Khao yai National Park Phra tamnak Temple Rajamongkol Inst. Kasetsart Univ. Places RemoteRuralSuburbanUrbanCategories 2001005010 Distances from city center (km) Lichens found in polluted cities Europe Lecanora conizoides L. dispersa L. erysibe Candelariella aurella Thai Dirinaria picta Buelia punctata Laurera bengaulensis Lecanora pallida Trypethelium tropicum Graphis liberta Cryptothecia sp. 10 Lichens found in polluted cities in England Lecanora conizaoeides Candelariella aurella Lecanora dispersa Lecanora erysibe Lichens found in Bangkok Buelia punctata Dirinaria picta Laurera bangaulensis Cryptothecia sp. Lecanora pallida Trypethelium tropicum Graphis liberta [...]... community change need to identify lichens at the species level • Taxonomy of lichens is fundamental back ground needed • Lichens are identified based on morphology, anatomy and chemical substances Assessing the effects of air pollution from physiological & biochemical changes •Degradation of chlorophyll • Photosynthesis decline Provide faster responses to air pollution and acid deposition These are warning...Species composition of lichen changes from the city to rural area Transect from inner city to suburb and rural area indicated that number of species increase with distance away from the city No of species related to SO2 concentration Ambient SO2 concentration and air quality index as indicates by presences of lichen communities in England (Hawksworth and Ross, 1970) Zone SO2 (µg m-3) 0 ? Lichens/ Epiphytes... leaf via opening stomata Acid & heavy metals destroy chlorophyll 15 Lichens are advantage over vascular plants as bioindicator of air pollution: because they have no wax & cuticle to protect cells (inner structure) Pollutants Cortex: fungal layer Algal layer Leaf Lichen Medulla Absorbtion spectrum of chlorophyll and phaeophytin Chlorophyll has maximum absorption at 433 and 665 nm Acid causes chlorophyll... wet season chlorophyll of the lichens at both sites remained Lichens & Air pollution in Los Angeles NO3 - and NH4+ leached from the lichen Ramalina menziesii collected from the control site (outside San Diego) and polluted site in Los Angeles 18 Lichens & Air pollution in Los Angeles SO4 2- and PO43- leached from the lichen Ramalina menziesii collected from the control site (outside San Diego) and polluted... Calicium viride, Leparia, candelaris, Pertusaria amara, Ramalina farinacea, Evernia prunastri 6 ~ 50 Parmelia caperata, rich in species of Pertusaria, Parmelia tiliacea, Graphis elegans, Pseudovernia furfuracea, Atectoria fuscescens 11 Ambient SO2 concentration and air quality index as indicates by presences of lichen communities in England (Hawksworth and Ross, 1970) Zone SO2 (µg m-3) Lichens/Epiphytes 7... Example of Using chlorophyll & phaeophytin assessing air quality (In 2002) Measured chlorophyll & phaeophytin in lichens along transect Between Bangkok Khao Yai National Park A Bangkok B 50 km C 100 km D KYNP, 200 km 20 S content of Parmelia saxatilis from different part of the Tyne valley Distances west of town center (miles) 4 4.5 6.25 8 21 S content 3290 2870 1420 569 225 (ppm) Accumulation of Pb in lichen. .. site in Los Angeles Lichens & Air pollution in Los Angeles Chlorophyll content of the lichen Ramalina menziesii at the polluted site had high correlation with the amount of NO3- accumulated in the thallus (r = 0.94) Chlorophyll content at the control site correlated with Na (r = 0.65) 19 Example of using chlorophyll degration to assess air pollution in Bangkok (in 1988) Transplanted lichens from Kao Yai... 433/415 1.100 1.300 17 Lichens & Air pollution in Los Angeles The lichen Ramalina menziesii was transplanted from a forest out side San Diego (control site) to Los Angeles (polluted site) Chlorophyll content and percent phaeophytin from the transplanted lichens at both sites were measured In summer chlorophyll at the polluted site declined and phaeophytin increased Finally, the lichens at the polluted... How air pollution damages plants and lichens Chlorophyll is in important organelle function in absorbing light energy for photosynthesis producing organic matter Comparing leaves damage by SO2 and normal If chlorophyll is destroyed by acid pollutants, plant produces less 0 M → reduce growth, lost protective function against insect & pest → death Insight of how air pollution damages plants and lichens... 415, and decline at 665 nm 16 Absorbtion spetrum of chlorophyll & phaeophytin and mixture of Chl & Phaeophytin in DMSO Prepared from the lichen Ramalina menziesii Standard curve for estimation the degradation of chlorophyll into phaeophytin Prepared from the lichen Ramalina nervulosa from Khao yai National Park Mix Ph 0 100 10 90 20 80 30 70 40 60 50 50 60 40 70 30 80 20 90 10 100 0 100 % Phaeophytin as . 1 Using lichen as bioindicator of air pollution Presented at JFY 2003 Acid deposition Monitoring and Assessment Third country Training by : Dr. Kansri Boonpragob Department of Biology. 1965) Sand stone Roof Ash tree 7 Relative cover and biomass of two lichen species on ash trees along an east – west transect to the west of New Castle, England (From Gilbert, 1969) biomass cover Evernia. sources of pollution : cities, industrial plants Transect showing that the number of lichens growing on the tops of sandstone walls, on asbestos roofs, and on ash trees decline as New Castle