Spatial analysis of lichen species richness in a disturbed ecosystem (Niepołomice Forest, S Poland)

Abstract

The spatial pattern of lichen species richness was analyzed in a forest ecosystem impacted for 50 years by industrial emissions from a steelworks. Geostatistical tools were used to characterize the spatial pattern of the number of lichen species and multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing it. Spatial analysis showed high variation of lichen species richness on a local scale, caused by patchiness of natural habitat factors (species composition of trees, their age, shade, etc.). On a large spatial scale, species richness differentiated the western from the eastern part of the forest. The western part, closer to the sources of pollution, had fewer species (average 6-10 per locality) than the eastern part (10-15 per locality). Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between the species richness of lichens and several environmental variables: input of ions with bulk precipitation (SO 4 2 , NO 3 , Cl , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Fe 3+ , Zn 3+ , Pb 2+ , Cd 2+ ), distance to forest edge, tree stand age, and number of species per locality. Regression analysis was preceded by factor analysis for the input of ions to obtain uncorrelated variables. Regression explained 53% of the variation of lichen species richness. Highly significant predictor variables were the factor connected with the input of pollutants (Fe 3+ , Zn 2+ ) emitted by the steelworks (negative effect) and the number of trees per locality (positive effect). Species richness was also affected by the age structure of the tree stand; more species were recorded in old forests.

Variables influencing the distribution of epiphytic lichens in heterogeneous areas: A case study for Liguria, NW Italy

“…Other authors report different results from other and more geomorphologically homogeneous regions (e.g. Poland - Kapusta et al 2004), where one can assume considerable long-distance transport of pollutants. This is, on the contrary, very limited in Liguria.…”

Assessment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in roots of Solidago gigantea growing in a polluted soil in Northern Italy

“…Niepolomice Forest - Turnau, 1988;Kapusta et al ., 2004;Chernobyl -Zhdanova et al ., 2004). Our work presents a survey of AM colonization in A5 hill using morphological and molecular methods.…”

“…Among the studies found in literature on ‘biological deserts’ resulting from industrial wastes and emissions, there are cases of investigations in which, besides human, plant and animal health, also the microbial communities had been considered (for example, the areas contaminated by metal smelters in Finland, Northern Sweden and Canada –Gunn et al ., 1995; Pennanen et al ., 1996; Palmborg et al ., 1998). However, to our knowledge, only few of them analysed the microbial component represented by mycorrhizal fungi (for example: Niepolomice Forest –Turnau, 1988; Kapusta et al ., 2004; Chernobyl –Zhdanova et al ., 2004). Our work presents a survey of AM colonization in A5 hill using morphological and molecular methods.…”

Comparison of plants with C3 and C4 carbon fixation pathways for remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminated soils

“…The amount of plant uptake and accumulation of contaminants varies significantly among plant species and are mainly limited by their nonpolar and hydrophobic nature and strong association with soil organic fractions 7 . Moreover, there are several variables which include the initial soil PAH concentration, soil properties, contaminant properties and environmental factors that significantly influence the uptake, accumulation and metabolism of PAHs in plants 8 .…”