Biomonitoring of urban air quality in Kaunas, Lithuania, using transplanted lichens

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate air quality using an active biomonitoring method. The lichens Ramalina farinacea and Evernia prunastri were transplanted to urban sites in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania. Changes in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, phaeophytization ratio, electrical conductivity were determined after one, two and three months. Despite of increase in photosynthetic pigments concentration one month later further it content decreased in urban environment. No significant variation in content of chlorophyll were observed in comparison with the control and this could be attributed to variables of air pollution did not exceed threshold levels. There was no interspecific difference in the response of the two lichen species in the physiological parameters but Ramalina farinecea was more sensitive to cell membrane damage than Evernia prunastri in the studied urban environment. The study provides information that one month of transplantation is not enough in order to determine air quality status in urban environment.