Satu Huttunen , Sinikka Kallio, Marketta Karhu

The effect of air pollution on transplanted mosses.

Huttunen S., Kallio S., Karhu M. (1981). The effect of air pollution on transplanted mosses. Silva Fennica vol. 15 no. 4 article id 5154. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.a15381

Abstract

The use of forest mosses as bioindicators was tested with transplanted experiments. One transplantation experiment was made to study effects of air pollutants on two forest moss species, Hylocomnium splendens (Hedw.) Schimp. and Pleurozium schreberi (Willd. ex Brid.) Mitt. Another transplantation was used to study the nitrogen fixation capacity of blue-green algae in the Hylocomnium and Pleurozium moss layers. The surface structure of the moss species was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The air pollution induced changes in the surface structure of moss cells were observable soon after the transplantation. In polluted industrial areas the fertilizing effect of air-borne nitrogen compounds increased the photosynthetic activity of mosses before their destruction. Stress respiration was also observable in polluted areas. The nitrogen fixing capacity decreased or was almost inhibited in all the air-polluted environments.

Keywords
bryophytes; Hylocomnium splendens; Pleurozium schreberi; air pollution; bioindicators; nitrogen fixation capacity; blue-green algae; surface structure; stress respiration

Published in 1981

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Available at https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.a15381 | Download PDF