Spatial trend in lichens diversity pattern with respect to pollution source provides vital information regarding environmental condition of the study area. In order to assess lichen diversity changes in one of the cultural centre of Uttar Pradesh, Faizabad city, lichen zone mapping technique was employed to observe spatial trends of lichen diversity in a grid of 1x1 km within 0-5,6-12 and 13-20 km distance from city centre in all the four directions. Overall 15 species were recorded from different directions. Among the different lichen species, Pyxine cocoes and Bacidia submedialis were common in most of the grids. Changes in physiological parameters and metal profile with respect to distance from city centre to the outskirts of the city in both P. cocoes and B. submedialis were analyzed. It was observed that the physiological parameters varied from site to site and in different directions, but the metal profile clearly indicates a decreasing trend of metal concentration with increasing distance from the city centre. The present study provides baseline data for future biomonitoring studies and further confirms the lichen biomonitoring study as an effective tool to monitor changes in environmental condition
