It has been determined that carpet-forming mosses are
good indicators of heavy metal deposition, since they are
dependent on their supply of nutrients from above rather than
from the substrate. Samples of the common carpet-forming
pleurocarpous moss Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt, and
the underlying soil were collected during the summer and
early fall of 1975 from 105 sites in northwestern Ontario.
Analyses were carried out on all samples for the heavy metals
Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn, using atomic absorption
spectrophotometry. Results were expressed as ppm (dry weight).
Soil pH and loss on ignition were also measured. The results
were in general agreement with those reported elsewhere in the literature. As expected, moss analysis was shown to be
a more reliable indicator of metal deposition than soil analysis
