Does air pollution influence the success of species translocation? Trace elements, ultrastructure and photosynthetic performances in transplants of a threatened forest macrolichen

Species translocation can be considered as a primary conservation strategy with reference to in situ conservation. In the case of lichens, translocations often risk to fail due stress factors associated with unsuitable receptor sites. Considering the bioecological characteristics of lichens, air pollution is among the most limiting stress factors. In this study, the forest macrolichen Lobaria pulmonaria was used as a model to test the hypothesis that the translocation of sensitive lichens is effective only in unpolluted environments. At purpose, 500 fragments or whole thalli were translocated in selected beech forests of Central Europe (the Western Carpathians, Slovakia) where the species disappeared in the past and in oak forests of Southern Europe (Tuscany, Central Italy) where native populations are present. Prior to the translocation (May 2016) and after one year, morphological and ultrastructural features, trace elements as well as chlorophyll a fluorescence emission were analysed. Four years later, the effectiveness of lichen translocation was further evaluated as presence of the transplants and of newly formed individuals. After one year, the translocation ensured an effective survival of the thalli in remote oak and beech forests characterized by a negligible or low contamination by heavy metals. The transplants were considered successful and developed new lobules and rhizines, attaching by themselves to the bark of the host trees, looking overall healthy, without evident signs of alteration also at ultrastructural level. Moreover, in a few cases newly formed individuals were observed after four years. On the other hand, the results highlighted the link between the unsuccess of the translocation and air pollution in other areas of the Western Carpathians and suggested that current air quality still limits the possibility of recolonization in areas where the model species disappeared

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 2

In this contribution, new data concerning red algae, lichens and bryophytes of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genus Grateloupia, the bryophyte genus Didymodon, and the lichen genera Buellia, Cladonia, Letharia, Pertusaria, and Pyrenula

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 3

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens and of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Dicranodontium, Fontinalis, Lophocoleaand Riccia, the fungal genus Diplolaeviopsis, the lichen genera Agonimia, Cladonia, Protoparmelia, Rhizocarpon, and Scytinium

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 4

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Campylopus, Paludella, Tortula, and Conocephalum, the fungal genera Agonimia, Buelliella, Entorrhiza, Filicupula, Poronia, and Sporisorium, the lichen genera Cladonia, Dibaeis, Lasallia, and Rhizocarpon

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 11

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Aneura, Aulacomnium, Dumortiera, Fossombronia, Hennediella, Hygrohypnella, Pohlia, Porella, Riccardia, Tortella, and Tortula, the fungal genera Cortinarius, Mycena, Naucoria, Trichoglossum, and Tubaria and the lichen genera Agonimia, Blastenia, Chaenotheca, Cladonia, Endocarpon, Gyalecta, Lecanographa, Parmeliella, Porpidia, Stenhammarella, and Thelidium

The lichens of the Krasín Nature Reserve in Biele Karpaty Mts (Western Carpathians, Slovakia)

The outputs of a pilot lichenological survey of the protected area Krasín (Western Carpathian Mts) are given. The area harbours various habitats (calcareous outcrops, southern xerotherm slopes, oak woods with Quercus pubescens, and hornbeam-linden woods) providing suitable conditions for a wide range of epiphytic, saxicolous, and epigeic lichens. During the field survey, 72 lichen taxa were recorded. Five of them are considered as threatened in Slovakia and four of them as indicators of forest ecological continuity

Uptake of Trace Elements in the Water Fern Azolla filiculoides after Short-Term Application of Chestnut Wood Distillate (Pyroligneous Acid)

Treatments of crops with additives to increase their productivity may pose environmental risks and induce negative effects also on non-target organisms. In this study, we investigated the potential effect of chestnut wood distillate (pyroligneous acid) used in agriculture, on the accumulation of trace elements in aquatic plants. As a model species, the common water fern Azolla filiculoides Lam. was selected, being often used also in phytoremediation processes. The content of selected elements of toxicological concern (As, Ba, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) was assessed in the fern after short-term treatments (1–3 days) over a range of wood distillate concentrations 1:300 (3.33 mL/L), 1:500 (2.00 mL/L), 1:700 (1.43 mL/L). A statistically significant accumulation of Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn (1:700) and Pb (1:300) was recorded after three days of incubation, despite the concentrations remained overall low. Using treatment vs. control ratios, a trend of increasing temporal uptake was detected for As, Ba, Fe, Mn, Pb (1:700); Mn, Pb (1:500), and only Pb at 1:300. The results suggested that, under the experimental conditions, element uptake is positively influenced by time and negatively by increasing concentrations of wood distillate, likely due to the acidification of the medium. On the whole, the element concentrations measured in A. filiculoides were low and did not pose any toxicological concern

One year of transplant: Is it enough for lichens to reflect the new atmospheric conditions?

How long does it take a lichen to respond to changes (worsening or improvement) of atmospheric conditions is still discussed. We selected and removed lichen thalli (Flavoparmelia caperata) from sites subject to different intensities of pollution around a landfill in Central Italy and exposed them in a remote unpolluted area for 12 months. The content of elements of toxicological concern (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn) and several physiological parameters in lichen thalli (chlorophyll a fluorescence emission, chlorophyll content and integrity, membrane lipid peroxidation, content of secondary metabolites and ergosterol content) were investigated before and after the recovery and hence compared with those of native (and clean) samples of the remote area. In an opposite trial, heavy metals content was investigated in samples taken from the remote area and exposed around the landfill. Values of the transplants were then compared with those of native samples at the landfill. From chemical point of view, the content of heavy metals decreased (by ca. 25%) in lichen thalli taken from the landfill and exposed in the remote area, however background values were never reached. On the other hand, lichen thalli taken from the remote area and exposed around the landfill accumulated up to ca. 80% of the content of in situ samples. The rate of accumulation was higher than the rate of element loss referred to the same temporal interval. The recovery of physiological parameters, especially those typical of the mycobiont or of the whole lichen symbiosis, was much faster than heavy metal detoxification, and after 12 months transplanted lichens already reflected the new environmental conditions at the remote site

<i>Evernia</i> Goes to School: Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals and Photosynthetic Performance in Lichen Transplants Exposed Indoors and Outdoors in Public and Private Environments

Recently indoor air quality (IAQ) has become a key issue, especially in schools, where children spend most of the day. Only in a few cases IAQ was investigated using lichens as biomonitors. During autumn 2017, lichens (Evernia prunastri) were exposed for two months indoors and outdoors in public (schools) and private (dwellings) environments, in both rural and urban areas of Slovakia. The bioaccumulation of selected elements and the physiological status of the samples were considered. The content of heavy metals increased in samples exposed outdoors for 11 out of 12 elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, S, Sb, V and Zn, but not Ca) in the urban area and for 5 (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Sb) in the rural area. Indoor concentrations were overall similar, both in rural and urban buildings, independently of the outdoor conditions. An indoor accumulation occurred only for Cd, Cu and Pb. An indoor origin was suggested for Cd, while for Cu and Pb, outdoor penetration (car traffic) is the likely cause of indoor values. Indoor exposed lichens maintained their vitality (as reflected by chlorophyll a fluorescence emission). This latter result further supports the use of lichen biomonitoring as a suitable method for assessing IAQ