115
and cold winters (55–80 days) characterize the climate of Prolom Spa, while summers are shorter (less than 60 days) and chillier. This climate is suitable for the
recovery of patients, so this spa settlement, thanks to its geographical position as
well as the healing properties of the water from numerous springs, attracts an
increasing number of tourists every year. The settlement area covers an area of
18.10 km
2
, making it one of the medium-sized settlements in the municipality
(Archive of the TO Kursumlija). Today, 131 people live in Prolom Spa. In the following decades, the number of tourists slowly increased. Nowadays, Prolom Spa
stands out among spa tourist centers of national importance in terms of development
perspective.
Prolom Spa is located on the southern slopes of Radan mountain. Although the
forests in the wider area of Prolom Spa are largely preserved, different types of
secondary vegetation still predominate in this area, most often mountain meadows
and pastures. In addition, valley meadows, rock vegetation, and clearing vegetation
also appear in the researched area. The associations that develop on bare andesitic
rocks and in their cracks are certainly of great biodiversity importance.
This seminatural ecosystem does not have large air pollutants, given that the
anthropogenic impact is relatively small and is reflected in the fact that the heat of
thermal water sources is widely used for heating buildings instead of individual
furnaces, which further reduces the emission of harmful gases.
Prolom Spa is one of the most attractive spa and rehabilitation centers visited by
a large number of tourists. In addition to regional exports, the specialized factory for
filling and transport of the “Prolom Voda” water with healing properties “Planinka”
also transports and exports water to the different countries. The increased intensity
of individual, public, and motor traffic in order to meet not only the daily needs of
citizens and tourists but also the realization of economic activities certainly has an
impact on air quality. The air quality of this ecosystem is also affected by the
increasingly intensive construction of facilities to increase the accommodation
capacity of tourists.
4.5 Results and Discussion
4.5.1 Results from Kuršumlijа Town Cаse Study
In the urban ecosystem of Kuršumlija, the presence of 42 species of lichens from 23
genera was recorded at 15 investigated points (Tаble 4.2). Epiphytic species were
the most numerous. Out of a total of 40 epiphytic species, 25 have the foliose type
of thallus, 12 have the corticolous type, and only 3 species have the fruticose type
of thallus. The presence of two saxicolous lichen species was also noted. The most
frequent species (100%) were Hypogymnia physodes and Physcia adscendens
whose presence was constant at all points of research. Parmelia sulcata and
Xanthoria parietina had a high frequency (93.33%). Among the most common are
4 Lichens as the Main Indicator in Biological Monitoring of Air Quality
and cold winters (55–80 days) characterize the climate of Prolom Spa, while summers are shorter (less than 60 days) and chillier. This climate is suitable for the
recovery of patients, so this spa settlement, thanks to its geographical position as
well as the healing properties of the water from numerous springs, attracts an
increasing number of tourists every year. The settlement area covers an area of
18.10 km
2
, making it one of the medium-sized settlements in the municipality
(Archive of the TO Kursumlija). Today, 131 people live in Prolom Spa. In the following decades, the number of tourists slowly increased. Nowadays, Prolom Spa
stands out among spa tourist centers of national importance in terms of development
perspective.
Prolom Spa is located on the southern slopes of Radan mountain. Although the
forests in the wider area of Prolom Spa are largely preserved, different types of
secondary vegetation still predominate in this area, most often mountain meadows
and pastures. In addition, valley meadows, rock vegetation, and clearing vegetation
also appear in the researched area. The associations that develop on bare andesitic
rocks and in their cracks are certainly of great biodiversity importance.
This seminatural ecosystem does not have large air pollutants, given that the
anthropogenic impact is relatively small and is reflected in the fact that the heat of
thermal water sources is widely used for heating buildings instead of individual
furnaces, which further reduces the emission of harmful gases.
Prolom Spa is one of the most attractive spa and rehabilitation centers visited by
a large number of tourists. In addition to regional exports, the specialized factory for
filling and transport of the “Prolom Voda” water with healing properties “Planinka”
also transports and exports water to the different countries. The increased intensity
of individual, public, and motor traffic in order to meet not only the daily needs of
citizens and tourists but also the realization of economic activities certainly has an
impact on air quality. The air quality of this ecosystem is also affected by the
increasingly intensive construction of facilities to increase the accommodation
capacity of tourists.
4.5 Results and Discussion
4.5.1 Results from Kuršumlijа Town Cаse Study
In the urban ecosystem of Kuršumlija, the presence of 42 species of lichens from 23
genera was recorded at 15 investigated points (Tаble 4.2). Epiphytic species were
the most numerous. Out of a total of 40 epiphytic species, 25 have the foliose type
of thallus, 12 have the corticolous type, and only 3 species have the fruticose type
of thallus. The presence of two saxicolous lichen species was also noted. The most
frequent species (100%) were Hypogymnia physodes and Physcia adscendens
whose presence was constant at all points of research. Parmelia sulcata and
Xanthoria parietina had a high frequency (93.33%). Among the most common are
4 Lichens as the Main Indicator in Biological Monitoring of Air Quality