Scientists' Contributions

Air quality assessment of Kaunas city using different methods of lichenoindication

Nomeda Juceviciene

Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania

    Epiphytic lichens are known as sensitive bioindicators of atmospheric air pollution for more than a century. Different characters of lichen species and communities have been applied for air quality assessment. Passive lichen monitoring is one of the most widely implemented.

    In Lithuania lichens as bioindicators have been used only since 1995 by the author of the present paper. At first, the green areas of Kaunas and a transect crossing the city were investigated. The poleotolerance of 33 epiphytic lichens was determined and preliminary lichen zones were established for the studied area.

    The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the state of complex atmospheric air pollution in the whole area of Kaunas city and to present the first results of bioindicational zonation.

    Lichen indication studies were carried out in Kaunas city in 1996-1998.

1. 62 epiphytic lichen species were identified in Kaunas city. Number of species and average coverage of epiphytic communities was determined on the base of 1x1 km grid.
2. The number of species per square and the average coverage of epiphytic lichens per square (1 x 1 km) were used for the mapping purposes.
3. Lichen indication map of Kaunas city was compiled where three zones can be identified using the Index of Poleotolerance (I.P.). I.P. expresses the weighted average coverage and poleotolerance of noted lichen species in the community.

    Results obtained allowed to propose modifications in the dislocation of air pollution monitoring stations in Kaunas.