MOSSES AND LICHENS – BIOINDICATORS OF HEAVY METALS POLLUTION OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS

Abstract

This study is a comparative investigation of the content of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn and Cr) in mosses and lichens recorded in ten deciduous forests in the Republic of Moldova included in a transnational grid (16x16 km) of forest monitoring throughout Europe. The content of heavy metals doesn’t differ significant by depending on the location of studied forest ecosystems. The trends of larger accumulation are observed near the local stationary and mobile sources of pollution. Mosses were confirmed as good indicators of air pollution with heavy metals to forest ecosystems located near sources of pollution and lichens show good bio-indicators particularities for background pollution. The good correlation between the concentrations of moss and lichen were Cr, Cu and Ni, and the low correlation between Pb and Zn, which are considered to be metals which are amenable to long-distance dispersal.

Keywords

• heavy metals
• air pollution
• bio-indicators
• forest ecosystems