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Forests
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Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests
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Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 February 2023) | Viewed by 12964

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giorgio Brunialti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
TerraData Environmentrics, Spin Off Company of the University of Siena, Via Bardelloni 19, 58025 Monterotondo Marittimo, GR, Italy
Interests: environmental monitoring and indicator species; standardization of biomonitoring methods; quality assurance procedures in environmental monitoring; biodiversity and sustainable forest management; lichen diversity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Luisa Frati

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
TerraData Environmetrics, Spin-off Company of the University of Siena, 58025 Monterotondo Marittimo, Italy
Interests: environmental monitoring and biomonitoring; applicability of bioindication and bioaccumulation techniques; environmental alteration of risk areas; lichen functional traits; sustainable forest management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lichens and bryophytes play an important role in forest ecosystem functioning. They have a role in the water cycle and forest food webs, and they increase the canopy interception of precipitations and nutrients. Several species can be considered indicators, being sensitive to air pollutants and climate change and showing an ability to accumulate trace elements.

In general terms, we can identify three main reasons to monitor lichen and moss in forest ecosystems: (i) to monitor the effects of atmospheric pollution and climate change, (ii) for conservation studies related to forest management and threatened species, and (iii) to obtain information on ecosystem functioning.

The hundreds of scientific studies carried out in this field in recent decades confirm the interest in the use of these organisms as biomonitors and the continuous demand for updates on the topic.

In this Forests Special Issue, entitled “Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests”, we aim to collect emerging and timely research in this field. We encourage researchers to send contributions (research and review articles) on the following topics:

  • Effects of air pollution on sensitive species or species assemblages;
  • Effects of forest management and fragmentation on indicator species;
  • Modeling functional traits and indicator species;
  • Environmental niche models and species conservation;
  • Viable populations of threatened lichen and bryophyte species;
  • Mapping trace elements;
  • Standard operating procedures and sampling design for biomonitoring programs.

Dr. Giorgio Brunialti
Dr. Luisa Frati
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • air pollution
  • sustainable forest management
  • ecosystem function
  • forest continuity
  • climate change
  • species assemblages
  • indicator species
  • bioaccumulation
  • species conservation

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 653 KiB  
Editorial
Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests
by Giorgio Brunialti and Luisa Frati
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2265; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112265 - 17 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 814
Abstract
Currently, forest ecosystems are often located in remote areas, far from direct sources of air pollution [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests)

Research

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19 pages, 3563 KiB  
Article
Assessing Seasonal Concentrations of Airborne Potentially Toxic Elements in Tropical Mountain Areas in Thailand Using the Transplanted Lichen Parmotrema Tinctorum (Despr. ex Nyl.) Hale
by Chaiwat Boonpeng, Duangkamon Sangiamdee, Sutatip Noikrad and Kansri Boonpragob
Forests 2023, 14(3), 611; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030611 - 19 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1876
Abstract
The atmosphere of mountain areas may be contaminated by pollutants originating mainly from road traffic, as well as tourist and community activities within such areas. This study mainly aimed to assess the concentrations of airborne potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in two mountain areas [...] Read more.
The atmosphere of mountain areas may be contaminated by pollutants originating mainly from road traffic, as well as tourist and community activities within such areas. This study mainly aimed to assess the concentrations of airborne potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in two mountain areas in Thailand using lichen biomonitoring. Thalli of the lichen Parmotrema tinctorum from the relatively unpolluted area in Khao Yai National Park (KYNP) were prepared and exposed at nine sites in the KYNP and nine sites in Doi Inthanon National Park (DINP) during the rainy and dry seasons. The lichen transplants were collected and analyzed for 15 PTEs, including Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Ti, V, and Zn, using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The result clearly showed that the atmosphere of many monitoring sites in both mountains were contaminated by the investigated PTEs. The contamination factors (CFs) revealed that several PTEs heavily contaminated the atmosphere at many monitoring sites. The pollution load indices (PLIs) clearly illustrated that the atmosphere of all sites had higher pollution loads in the dry season than in the rainy season, which was likely due to the higher numbers of motor vehicles and visitors. The highest pollution loads were observed at sites that had higher traffic density and human activities, including the park entrance site in the KYNP and the community site in the DINP. The lowest air pollution loads were discovered at the summit sites in both mountains. This study indicates that the atmosphere of mountain areas can be contaminated by some PTEs that are mainly produced by road traffic and local communities. It also confirms the ability of the transplanted lichen P. tinctorum to be an effective biomonitoring tool for airborne PTEs in natural environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests)
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12 pages, 2561 KiB  
Article
Tree Species Drive the Diversity of Epiphytic Bryophytes in the Alpine Forest Ecosystem: A Case Study in Tibet
by Jiqi Gu, Xiaotong Song, Yujia Liao, Yanhui Ye, Ruihong Wang, Heping Ma and Xiaoming Shao
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2154; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122154 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1692
Abstract
Epiphytic bryophytes can maintain water, recycle nutrients, and provide habitats for many other organisms in the forest ecosystem. Describing the spatial change of epiphytic bryophytes plays an important role in understanding the potential factors of diversity distribution. The study aimed to determine the [...] Read more.
Epiphytic bryophytes can maintain water, recycle nutrients, and provide habitats for many other organisms in the forest ecosystem. Describing the spatial change of epiphytic bryophytes plays an important role in understanding the potential factors of diversity distribution. The study aimed to determine the influence of environmental factors on their diversity and assemblage in the alpine forest ecosystem of Sygera Mountain. We considered 72 trees, taking into account 1152 quadrats to research the study. Our results showed bryophyte richness first exhibited a hump-shaped pattern and then increased along elevation, reaching a peak at 3500 m. The richness of the eastern aspect was higher than that of the west. Diversity of Quercus semecarpifolia was the highest. There was significant variation among elevations of bryophytes assemblages, especially for the biotopes at 3900 m and 4100 m. The differences among bryophytes assemblages on aspects and tree species were less apparent. Diameter at breast height and elevation influenced assemblage composition. Elevation, tree species, and tree properties drive the diversity of epiphytic bryophytes, and tree species were significantly related to the variation in the diversity of bryophytes. These results are helpful for understanding the relationship between the spatial distribution pattern of bryophytes and the environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests)
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11 pages, 2490 KiB  
Article
The Use of Bryophytes, Lichens and Bromeliads for Evaluating Air and Water Pollution in an Andean City
by Washington Carrillo, James Calva and Ángel Benítez
Forests 2022, 13(10), 1607; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13101607 - 01 Oct 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1952
Abstract
Air and water pollution are global environmental problems; thus, bioindicators have become important tools for monitoring various pollutants, including metals and metalloids. Parmotrema arnoldii (Du Rietz) Hale and Tillandsia usneoides L. were evaluated as indicators of heavy metals in the air and Platyhypnidium [...] Read more.
Air and water pollution are global environmental problems; thus, bioindicators have become important tools for monitoring various pollutants, including metals and metalloids. Parmotrema arnoldii (Du Rietz) Hale and Tillandsia usneoides L. were evaluated as indicators of heavy metals in the air and Platyhypnidium aquaticum A. Jaeger and Marchantia polymorpha L. as indicators of heavy metals and a metalloid in water. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) as air pollutants and aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and arsenic (As) as water pollutants were analyzed within four different zones (control, northern, central and southern) in an Andean city of Ecuador. The level of metal concentrations in the air for P. arnoldii and T. usneoides had the following order of concentration: Zn > Mn > Pb > Cd > Cu. In the case of water, P. aquaticum pointed out a concentration of Al > Mn > Fe > Zn > As > Pb > Cd and proved to be more effective in detecting water pollution than the species M. polymorpha, which had a concentration of Al >Zn > Fe > Cd >As > Mn > Pb. P. aquaticum showed a higher capacity to accumulate heavy metals than M. polymorpha; therefore, it can be used as a model species for passive water quality monitoring. However, P. arnoldii and T. usneoides showed similar heavy metal accumulation related to air quality. The passive monitoring of air quality using bromeliads and lichens as well as bryophytes for water quality proved their effectiveness and applicability in tropical regions such as Ecuador. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests)
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13 pages, 3271 KiB  
Article
Composition and Conservation Value of Epiphytic Lichen Communities on Common Ash in North-Western Alps: A First Assessment
by Silvia Ongaro, Guglielmo Lione and Deborah Isocrono
Forests 2022, 13(8), 1288; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13081288 - 14 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1290
Abstract
In the western sector of the Alps, and particularly in the Aosta Valley, lichenological communities on broad-leaved trees have received very little attention, and information about lichen species associated with common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) are still scanty. Therefore, in this study, [...] Read more.
In the western sector of the Alps, and particularly in the Aosta Valley, lichenological communities on broad-leaved trees have received very little attention, and information about lichen species associated with common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) are still scanty. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed epiphytic lichen communities of ash trees to estimate their composition, their conservation value, and their association with some key environmental variables. Our results show that lichen communities appear to be different in terms of occurrence and frequencies in different sampling sites. The tested environmental variables contribute to shape the lichen communities, which are significantly different (p < 0.05) in sites characterized by different elevation, solar radiation, and source vicinity. The conservation value of lichen species was assessed by comparing distributional data at the national and local level. Our findings show that, in the Italian Alps, ash trees represent an important substrate for locally, or even nationally, rare lichens: 14 recorded species were not previously known in the study area, and some (Lecanora impudens and Rinodina polyspora) were included in the red list of Italian epiphytic lichens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests)
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14 pages, 2821 KiB  
Article
Influence of the Canopy Drip Effect on the Accumulation of Atmospheric Metal and Nitrogen Deposition in Mosses
by Stefan Nickel, Winfried Schröder, Barbara Völksen and Annekatrin Dreyer
Forests 2022, 13(4), 605; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13040605 - 12 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1601
Abstract
Wet, dry, and occult atmospheric deposition may be modified by vegetation canopies. The aim of this study was to verify canopy drip effect studies conducted in 2012, in 2013, and in 2015/2016. For this purpose, 26 moss samples were taken at each of [...] Read more.
Wet, dry, and occult atmospheric deposition may be modified by vegetation canopies. The aim of this study was to verify canopy drip effect studies conducted in 2012, in 2013, and in 2015/2016. For this purpose, 26 moss samples were taken at each of eight monitoring sites of the European Moss Survey 2020/2021 in Germany from a corresponding number of subplots, each representing the site categories “under tree canopy” and adjacent “open land”. The sampling, as well as the chemical analyses, of 12 metals (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Pb, Ni, Sb, V, Zn) and nitrogen (N) and the recording of sample- and site-describing metadata were conducted according to the ICP Vegetation experimental protocol. The results demonstrate an overall higher metal and nitrogen accumulation in moss samples of “canopy” sites compared to neighboring “open land sites” (grassland, heath). The ratios between the “canopy” and “open land” sites of 1.18 to 1.69 and significant correlations of r > 0.8 in case of five elements agree well with corresponding values from samplings in 2012, 2013, and 2015/2016. These results should be used for modeling atmospheric deposition aiming at more realistic results. With regard to the question of whether, and to what extent, moss samples should preferably be taken from “open land” or “canopy” sites, the following can be concluded: The recommendations of ICP Vegetation with regard to the minimum distance to be maintained from trees and shrubs should not be interpreted to mean that “open” sites are fundamentally more suitable for moss sampling in Germany than, for example, clearings in forests. The mostly higher variability of the measured values compared to the “canopy” sites rather suggests that in the open country a much higher number of influencing factors could be significant for the element accumulation in mosses in addition to the background pollution through atmospheric deposition. This is also supported by the fact that the metal contents in the moss samples of the “open” sites can clearly exceed those of the neighboring “canopy” sites in individual cases. With regard to “open” land, grassland sites seem to be less suitable for moss sampling than bog and heathland sites. In grassland, moss occurrences are often sparser and/or cut short by meadow mowing, so that the removal of three-year shoots on grassland, as recommended by ICP Vegetation, must be replaced in places by one-year shoots. The comparatively higher state dynamics of grassland sites also make the resampling of moss at previously sampled sites more difficult. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests)
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Review

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18 pages, 1309 KiB  
Review
Recent Trends and Future Challenges for Lichen Biomonitoring in Forests
by Luisa Frati and Giorgio Brunialti
Forests 2023, 14(3), 647; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030647 - 21 Mar 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2412
Abstract
Currently, forest ecosystems are often located in remote areas, far from direct sources of air pollution. Nonetheless, they may be affected by different types of atmospheric deposition, which can compromise their health and inner balance. Epiphytic lichens respond to air pollution and climate [...] Read more.
Currently, forest ecosystems are often located in remote areas, far from direct sources of air pollution. Nonetheless, they may be affected by different types of atmospheric deposition, which can compromise their health and inner balance. Epiphytic lichens respond to air pollution and climate change, and they have been widely adopted as ecological indicators, mainly in urban and industrial areas, while forest ecosystems are still underrepresented. However, in recent years, their use has become increasingly widespread, especially in the context of long-term monitoring programs for air pollution in forests. In this review, we provide a critical analysis of the topic from the point of view of the different methodological approaches based on lichen responses adopted in forest ecosystems. Further, we discuss the main challenges posed by the current global change scenario. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring with Lichens and Mosses in Forests)
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