Lichen as Bioindicators: Assessing their Response to Heavy Metal Pollution in Their Native Ecosystem
AbstractLichens play crucial roles in the ecosystems, contributing to soil formation and nutrient cycling, and being used in biomonitoring efforts to assess the sustainability of ecosystems including air quality. Previous studies on heavy metal accumulation in lichens have mostly relied on manipulat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Mycobiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/12298093.2023.2265144 |
| _version_ | 1827777251536535552 |
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| author | Jiho Yang Soon-Ok Oh Jae-Seoun Hur |
| author_facet | Jiho Yang Soon-Ok Oh Jae-Seoun Hur |
| author_sort | Jiho Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | AbstractLichens play crucial roles in the ecosystems, contributing to soil formation and nutrient cycling, and being used in biomonitoring efforts to assess the sustainability of ecosystems including air quality. Previous studies on heavy metal accumulation in lichens have mostly relied on manipulated environments, such as transplanted lichens, leaving us with a dearth of research on how lichens physiologically respond to heavy metal exposure in their natural habitats. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated lichens from two of South Korea’s geographically distant regions, Gangwon Province and Jeju Island, and examined whether difference in ambient heavy metal concentrations could be detected through physiological variables, including chlorophyll damage, lipid oxidation, and protein content. The physiological variables of lichens in response to heavy metals differed according to the collection area: Arsenic exerted a significant impact on chlorophyll degradation and protein content. The degree of fatty acid oxidation in lichens was associated with increased Cu concentrations. Our research highlights the value of lichens as a bioindicator, as we found that even small variations in ambient heavy metal concentrations can be detected in natural lichens. Furthermore, our study sheds light on which physiology variables that can be used as indicators of specific heavy metals, underscoring the potential of lichens for future ecology studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T14:15:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f96a591c7e59419da0f041ff7fc9d125 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1229-8093 2092-9323 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T14:15:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mycobiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-f96a591c7e59419da0f041ff7fc9d1252023-11-01T07:06:29ZengTaylor & Francis GroupMycobiology1229-80932092-93232023-09-0151534335310.1080/12298093.2023.2265144Lichen as Bioindicators: Assessing their Response to Heavy Metal Pollution in Their Native EcosystemJiho Yang0Soon-Ok Oh1Jae-Seoun Hur2Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South KoreaDivision of Forest Biodiversity, Korea National Arboretum, Pocheon, South KoreaKorean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South KoreaAbstractLichens play crucial roles in the ecosystems, contributing to soil formation and nutrient cycling, and being used in biomonitoring efforts to assess the sustainability of ecosystems including air quality. Previous studies on heavy metal accumulation in lichens have mostly relied on manipulated environments, such as transplanted lichens, leaving us with a dearth of research on how lichens physiologically respond to heavy metal exposure in their natural habitats. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated lichens from two of South Korea’s geographically distant regions, Gangwon Province and Jeju Island, and examined whether difference in ambient heavy metal concentrations could be detected through physiological variables, including chlorophyll damage, lipid oxidation, and protein content. The physiological variables of lichens in response to heavy metals differed according to the collection area: Arsenic exerted a significant impact on chlorophyll degradation and protein content. The degree of fatty acid oxidation in lichens was associated with increased Cu concentrations. Our research highlights the value of lichens as a bioindicator, as we found that even small variations in ambient heavy metal concentrations can be detected in natural lichens. Furthermore, our study sheds light on which physiology variables that can be used as indicators of specific heavy metals, underscoring the potential of lichens for future ecology studies.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/12298093.2023.2265144LichenHeavy metalsBioindicatorPhysiology variables |
| spellingShingle | Jiho Yang Soon-Ok Oh Jae-Seoun Hur Lichen as Bioindicators: Assessing their Response to Heavy Metal Pollution in Their Native Ecosystem Mycobiology Lichen Heavy metals Bioindicator Physiology variables |
| title | Lichen as Bioindicators: Assessing their Response to Heavy Metal Pollution in Their Native Ecosystem |
| title_full | Lichen as Bioindicators: Assessing their Response to Heavy Metal Pollution in Their Native Ecosystem |
| title_fullStr | Lichen as Bioindicators: Assessing their Response to Heavy Metal Pollution in Their Native Ecosystem |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lichen as Bioindicators: Assessing their Response to Heavy Metal Pollution in Their Native Ecosystem |
| title_short | Lichen as Bioindicators: Assessing their Response to Heavy Metal Pollution in Their Native Ecosystem |
| title_sort | lichen as bioindicators assessing their response to heavy metal pollution in their native ecosystem |
| topic | Lichen Heavy metals Bioindicator Physiology variables |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/12298093.2023.2265144 |
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