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from the biological, physical and chemical components of our world that manifest
themselves as changes in individual fitness, population density, community composition and ecosystem processes (Fernandez et al. 2007). From a management perspective, bioindicators inform our actions as to what is and is not biologically
sustainable. Without the moss in the tundra, the cutthroat in the mountain stream
and the canary in the coal mine, we may not recognise the impact of our disturbances before it is too late to do anything to prevent them.
3.2.1 Mosses as Airborne Pollution Bioindicators
Bryophytes are green land plants which lack a vascular system and are simple both
morphologically and anatomically. The growth potential in bryophytes is not as
highly polarised as vascular plants. Bryophytes grow in a variety of habitats especially in moist places on soil, rocks, trunks and branches of trees and fallen log.
They obtain nutrients directly from substances dissolved in ambient moisture. Some
substances are probably absorbed directly from the substrate by diffusion through
the cells of the gametophyte. Bryophytes are used as reliable indicators of air pollution (Fernandez et al. 2007). They are exploited as bryometer instrument for measuring phytotoxic air pollution. Bryophytes, independently or together with lichens,
can be valuable organisms in developing an Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP)
which is based on the number, frequency coverage and resistance factor of species
(Ceburnis and Valiulis 1999). This index can provide a fair picture of the long-range
effects of pollution in a given area (Markert et al. 2003). There are two categories of
bryophytes in response to pollution:
• Bryophytes that are very sensitive to pollution and show visible symptoms of
injury even in the presence of minute quantities of pollutants. These serve as
good indicators of the degree of pollution and also of the nature of pollutant.
• Bryophytes that have the capacity to absorb and retain pollutants in quantities
much higher than those absorbed by other plant groups growing in the same
habitat. These plants trap and prevent recycling of such pollutants in the ecosystem for different periods of time. Analysis of such plants gives a fair idea about
the degree of metal pollution.
Bryophytes are able to concentrate heavy metals in large amounts, greatly surpassing the absorbing capacity of vascular plants. The gametophytes of moss can
accumulate iron five to ten times more readily than the vascular plants. The concentrations of Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ni, Pb, Ag, Ti, V, Zn and Zr were higher in bryophytes than those in angiosperms. The bryophytes are able to concentrate rare earth
elements. Elements which are rarely found in other plants were found in bryophytes
(Zechmeister et al. 2003; Balabanova et al. 2010; Barandovski et al. 2008,
2012, 2013).
T. Stafilov et al.
from the biological, physical and chemical components of our world that manifest
themselves as changes in individual fitness, population density, community composition and ecosystem processes (Fernandez et al. 2007). From a management perspective, bioindicators inform our actions as to what is and is not biologically
sustainable. Without the moss in the tundra, the cutthroat in the mountain stream
and the canary in the coal mine, we may not recognise the impact of our disturbances before it is too late to do anything to prevent them.
3.2.1 Mosses as Airborne Pollution Bioindicators
Bryophytes are green land plants which lack a vascular system and are simple both
morphologically and anatomically. The growth potential in bryophytes is not as
highly polarised as vascular plants. Bryophytes grow in a variety of habitats especially in moist places on soil, rocks, trunks and branches of trees and fallen log.
They obtain nutrients directly from substances dissolved in ambient moisture. Some
substances are probably absorbed directly from the substrate by diffusion through
the cells of the gametophyte. Bryophytes are used as reliable indicators of air pollution (Fernandez et al. 2007). They are exploited as bryometer instrument for measuring phytotoxic air pollution. Bryophytes, independently or together with lichens,
can be valuable organisms in developing an Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP)
which is based on the number, frequency coverage and resistance factor of species
(Ceburnis and Valiulis 1999). This index can provide a fair picture of the long-range
effects of pollution in a given area (Markert et al. 2003). There are two categories of
bryophytes in response to pollution:
• Bryophytes that are very sensitive to pollution and show visible symptoms of
injury even in the presence of minute quantities of pollutants. These serve as
good indicators of the degree of pollution and also of the nature of pollutant.
• Bryophytes that have the capacity to absorb and retain pollutants in quantities
much higher than those absorbed by other plant groups growing in the same
habitat. These plants trap and prevent recycling of such pollutants in the ecosystem for different periods of time. Analysis of such plants gives a fair idea about
the degree of metal pollution.
Bryophytes are able to concentrate heavy metals in large amounts, greatly surpassing the absorbing capacity of vascular plants. The gametophytes of moss can
accumulate iron five to ten times more readily than the vascular plants. The concentrations of Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ni, Pb, Ag, Ti, V, Zn and Zr were higher in bryophytes than those in angiosperms. The bryophytes are able to concentrate rare earth
elements. Elements which are rarely found in other plants were found in bryophytes
(Zechmeister et al. 2003; Balabanova et al. 2010; Barandovski et al. 2008,
2012, 2013).
T. Stafilov et al.