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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Ecological Roles of Lichens as Monitors of a Changing Global Environment
ClearRecent Trends and Future Challenges for Lichen Biomonitoring in Forests
This review examines recent trends in using epiphytic lichens as biomonitors in forest ecosystems, which have historically been underrepresented compared to urban and industrial monitoring. Researchers discuss how lichens respond to air pollution and climate change in forested areas and identify future challenges for expanding lichen biomonitoring programs in these environments.
Microplastics in Lichen Thalli: A Photo or a Movie of Local Atmospheric Deposition?
Microplastics were found in lichen thalli collected from various sites, making lichens useful bioindicators for monitoring local and temporal patterns of atmospheric microplastic deposition. The study shows that lichens passively accumulate airborne plastics and can provide a record of pollution over time.
Comparison of Lichens and Mosses as Biomonitors of Airborne Microplastics
Researchers compared lichens and mosses as biomonitors for airborne microplastics, finding that both organisms effectively capture and accumulate atmospheric microplastic particles, offering a simpler alternative to traditional labor-intensive sampling methods.
Lichens and Microplastics
This review examined lichens as potential biomonitors and biosorbents for microplastic contamination in terrestrial and atmospheric environments. The authors highlight lichens' structural properties and secondary metabolites as factors that may influence their interaction with and accumulation of plastic particles.
Lichens and Microplastics
This review explored the relationship between lichens and microplastics, discussing both lichens' potential as biomonitors of environmental MP contamination and their secondary metabolites' possible interactions with plastic particles. The authors suggest lichens as underutilized bioindicators for atmospheric and terrestrial microplastic pollution.
Methodological predicament: Distinguishing between the accumulated and deposited microplastics in lichen thalli
Using lichen thalli exposed to controlled microfiber suspensions, this study developed a protocol to distinguish between microplastics deposited on lichen surfaces versus those accumulated within the thallus, improving the use of lichens as atmospheric microplastic biomonitors.
Biomonitoring of Yozgat Çamlık National Park’s Anthropogenic Microfiber Pollution: A Comprehensive Analysis of Lichen-Supported Air Quality Assessment and Microplastic Composition Insights
Researchers used lichens as bioindicator organisms to biomonitor anthropogenic microfiber pollution in Yozgat Çamlık National Park, conducting a comprehensive analysis of airborne microplastic composition and using lichen-based air quality assessment to characterise pollution levels.
Lichen Biomonitoring of Airborne Microplastics in Milan (N Italy)
Researchers used lichen transplants across Milan to monitor airborne microplastic deposition, finding that microplastic accumulation varied with land-use zones and traffic density, validating lichens as effective biomonitors for atmospheric plastic pollution.
Passive biomonitoring of airborne microplastics using lichens: A comparison between urban, natural and protected environments
Researchers used lichens as natural air pollution monitors and found that microplastics accumulate in lichen tissue along a gradient from natural areas to city centers, with urban sites in Rome showing twice the contamination of natural sites. Over 97% of the trapped particles were fibers, and the study also documented the first evidence of larger mesoplastic pieces caught by lichens -- confirming that airborne plastic pollution increases with human activity.
Selecting the species to be used in lichen transplant surveys of air pollution in Tunisia
Researchers evaluated four lichen species for suitability as air pollution biomonitors in Tunisia, finding that fruticose lichens E. prunastri and R. farinacea had the lowest background levels of toxic elements, making them ideal for transplant-based pollution surveys.
The Use of Mosses in Biomonitoring of Air Pollution in the Terrestrial Environment: A Review
This paper is not about microplastics; it reviews the use of mosses as biomonitors for air pollution by metals and organic compounds.
Passive biomonitoring of airborne microplastics using lichens: A comparison between urban, natural and protected environments
Scientists used lichens (small plant-like organisms that grow on trees and rocks) to measure tiny plastic particles floating in the air around Rome, Italy. They found that urban areas had twice as many airborne microplastics as natural areas, with the plastic particles getting trapped by the lichens. This research matters because it shows lichens can help us track air pollution from microplastics, which scientists are studying for potential health effects when people breathe them in.
Moss, Lichens and Phytobenthos Bioindicators of Pollution
This review discusses the use of mosses, lichens, and aquatic algae as biomonitors of heavy metal pollution in air and water, covering both monitoring techniques and recent case studies. It is focused on heavy metal monitoring rather than microplastics specifically, but biomonitoring methods discussed are relevant to broader environmental pollution assessment.
Passive biomonitoring of airborne microplastics using lichens: A comparison between urban, natural and protected environments
Scientists used lichens (small plant-like organisms that grow on trees and rocks) to measure tiny plastic particles floating in the air around Rome, Italy. They found that urban areas had twice as many airborne microplastics as natural areas, with the longest plastic fibers found in the city center where people live and work. This matters because these same plastic particles that lichens trap from the air are also being breathed in by humans, potentially affecting our health.
Potential Role of Mosses in Evaluating Airborne Microplastic Deposition in Terrestrial Ecosystems
This review examines the potential of mosses to serve as cost-effective biomonitors for tracking airborne microplastic deposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Preliminary studies indicate that mosses accumulate higher concentrations of microplastics than lichens, likely due to their physical structure. The study outlines steps needed to develop a standardized, reliable methodology for using mosses to monitor airborne microplastic pollution across both inhabited and remote regions.
Topography of UV-melanized Thalli of Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm.
Researchers studied the topography of UV-melanized lichen tissue to understand how these organisms protect themselves from ultraviolet radiation. Lichens are known to colonize plastic surfaces in the environment, and studying their biology helps explain how microplastics persist in outdoor environments.
Comparison of Lichen and Moss Transplants for Monitoring the Deposition of Airborne Microfibers
Researchers compared lichen and moss transplants as tools for monitoring airborne microfiber pollution across urban sites in Italy. They found that lichens accumulated significantly more microfibers than mosses and were better at detecting differences between locations. The study suggests that lichen transplants offer a more effective and accessible biomonitoring approach for tracking airborne microplastic contamination in cities.
Biomonitoring of Yozgat Çamlık National Park’s (Türkiye) Anthropogenic Microfiber Pollution: A Comprehensive Analysis of Lichen-Supported Air Quality Assessment and Microplastic Composition Insights
Researchers used lichens collected from three zones with varying human activity in Yozgat Çamlık National Park, Turkey, as bioindicators of atmospheric microfiber pollution. Anthropogenic microfibers—predominantly synthetic textiles—were found in all samples, with higher counts in areas closer to roads and human settlements, validating lichen biomonitoring as a tool for airborne microplastic assessment.
An Assessment of distribution of Airborne Microplastic using Epiphytic Crustose Lichens in Surrounding Areas of an Open Dumpsite of a Plastic Crusher Plant at Kanadola, Sri Lanka
By collecting lichen samples at increasing distances from a plastic crushing plant in Sri Lanka, researchers detected significantly more airborne microplastics near the facility than at a control forest site, with no significant difference between the 50-meter and 50–100-meter zones. The findings demonstrate that industrial plastic processing sites are point sources of airborne microplastic emissions, and that lichens can serve as low-cost passive biomonitors for tracking atmospheric plastic pollution around such facilities.
Atmospheric microplastic accumulation in Ramalina celastri (Sprengel) Krog & Swinscow Thalli: a transplant study across different levels of urbanization
A transplant study using the lichen Ramalina celastri across an urbanization gradient in Argentina found microplastic concentrations ranging from ~17 MPs/g at baseline sites to significantly higher levels in urban zones, with fragments—not fibers—showing the strongest association with urbanized areas.
Global ambient air quality monitoring: Can mosses help? A systematic meta-analysis of literature about passive moss biomonitoring
Researchers conducted a systematic review of 123 studies on moss-based passive biomonitoring, finding that mosses can serve as natural sensors for atmospheric deposition of heavy metals and organic pollutants, offering a cost-effective complement to conventional air quality monitoring networks especially in developing regions.
Topography of UV-Melanized Thalli of Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm
Not relevant to microplastics — this study examines how UV-induced melanin pigmentation affects the surface texture and cell wall properties of the lichen Lobaria pulmonaria, a UV-stress biology paper.
Air Quality Assessment by Moss Biomonitoring and Trace Metals Atmospheric Deposition
Researchers used moss biomonitoring with Hypnum cupressiforme across Albania to assess atmospheric deposition of trace metals, identifying anthropogenic pollution hotspots and demonstrating that moss can serve as a cost-effective tool for monitoring air quality and microplastic deposition at national scale.
Monitoring moss reveals widespread deposition of airborne microplastics across the UK – practical lessons and recommendations
Researchers evaluated the use of moss as a biomonitor for atmospheric microplastic deposition across the UK, drawing on established protocols for monitoring metals and nutrients in mosses. The study demonstrated that moss biomonitoring is practical for large-scale spatial surveys and provided recommendations for standardized collection, processing, and quantification methods.