R. J. K. Rinne , A. I. Mäkinen

Regional and species variations in metal content of two woodland mosses Pleurozium schreberi and Hylocomium splendens in Finland and northern Norway.

Rinne R. J. K., Mäkinen A. I. (1988). Regional and species variations in metal content of two woodland mosses Pleurozium schreberi and Hylocomium splendens in Finland and northern Norway. Silva Fennica vol. 22 no. 1 article id 5343. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.a15500

Abstract

The woodland mosses Pleurozia shcreberi (Willd. ex Brid.) Mitt. and Hylocomnium splendens (Hedw.) Schimp. were used in air pollution monitoring. During late summer and autumn 1977, 44 samples of Pleurozia shcreberi were collected in semi-open coniferous forests from Southern Finland (60°N) to Northern Finland and Northern Norway (70°N). Additional 26 samples of Hylocomnium splendens were collected in similar places south of 61°30’N. Analysis of both moss species revealed decreasing concentration gradients from south to north for Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn. Conversely, Mn and Mg levels increased with latitude, while Ca did not change significantly. Some decreasing west to east concentration gradients for Cu, Zn and Pb were measured in P. schreberi and in H. splendends collected from Southern Finland.

A comparison between these two mosses showed significant differences in Cu content (ave. 22% higher in H. splendends) and Zn content (ave. 8% higher in P. schreberi). However, the differences were considered minor in relation to regional differences in Finland.

In local study of emissions from the Koverhar steel works in Southern Finland, Fe and Zn concentrations in P. schreberi and H. splendens were found to decrease significantly with increasing distance up to 6 kilometres north and south of the source.

The PDF includes a summary in Finnish.

Keywords
Hylocomnium splendens; mosses; air pollution; heavy metals; bioindicators; Pleurozia shcreberi; air pollution monitoring

Published in 1988

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Available at https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.a15500 | Download PDF