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Article

New Interpretative Scales for Lichen Bioaccumulation Data: The Italian Proposal

by
Elva Cecconi
1,†,
Lorenzo Fortuna
1,†,
Renato Benesperi
2,
Elisabetta Bianchi
2,
Giorgio Brunialti
3,
Tania Contardo
4,
Luca Di Nuzzo
2,
Luisa Frati
3,
Fabrizio Monaci
4,
Silvana Munzi
5,
Juri Nascimbene
6,
Luca Paoli
7,
Sonia Ravera
8,
Andrea Vannini
4,
Paolo Giordani
9,
Stefano Loppi
4 and
Mauro Tretiach
1,*
1
Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy
2
Department of Biology, University of Firenze, Via La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy
3
TerraData environmetrics, Spin Off of the University of Siena, Via L. Bardelloni 19, 58025 Monterotondo Marittimo (GR), Italy
4
Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
5
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
6
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
7
Department of Biology, University of Pisa, via L. Ghini, 13, 56126 Pisa, Italy
8
Department of Biosciences and Territory (DiBT), University of Molise, C.da Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche (Isernia), Italy
9
DIFAR, University of Genova, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Atmosphere 2019, 10(3), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10030136
Submission received: 26 February 2019 / Revised: 6 March 2019 / Accepted: 8 March 2019 / Published: 13 March 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Pollution)
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Abstract

The interpretation of lichen bioaccumulation data is of paramount importance in environmental forensics and decision-making processes. By implementing basic ideas underlying previous interpretative scales, new dimensionless, species-independent “bioaccumulation scales” for native and transplanted lichens are proposed. Methodologically consistent element concentration datasets were populated with data from biomonitoring studies relying on native and transplanted lichens. The scale for native lichens was built up by analyzing the distribution of ratios between element concentration data and species-specific background concentration references (B ratios), herein provided for Flavoparmelia caperata and Xanthoria parietina (foliose lichens). The scale for transplants was built up by analyzing the distribution of ratios between element concentration in exposed and unexposed samples (EU ratio) of Evernia prunastri and Pseudevernia furfuracea (fruticose lichens). Both scales consist of five percentile-based classes; namely, “Absence of”, “Low”, “Moderate”, “High”, and “Severe” bioaccumulation. A comparative analysis of extant interpretative tools showed that previous ones for native lichens suffered from the obsolescence of source data, whereas the previous expert-assessed scale for transplants failed in describing noticeable element concentration variations. The new scales, based on the concept that pollution can be quantified by dimensionless ratios between experimental and benchmark values, overcome most critical points affecting the previous scales.
Keywords: biomonitoring; native lichens; lichen transplants; air pollution; trace elements; background levels; Flavoparmelia caperata; Xanthoria parietina; Evernia prunastri; Pseudevernia furfuracea biomonitoring; native lichens; lichen transplants; air pollution; trace elements; background levels; Flavoparmelia caperata; Xanthoria parietina; Evernia prunastri; Pseudevernia furfuracea
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MDPI and ACS Style

Cecconi, E.; Fortuna, L.; Benesperi, R.; Bianchi, E.; Brunialti, G.; Contardo, T.; Di Nuzzo, L.; Frati, L.; Monaci, F.; Munzi, S.; et al. New Interpretative Scales for Lichen Bioaccumulation Data: The Italian Proposal. Atmosphere 2019, 10, 136. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10030136

AMA Style

Cecconi E, Fortuna L, Benesperi R, Bianchi E, Brunialti G, Contardo T, Di Nuzzo L, Frati L, Monaci F, Munzi S, et al. New Interpretative Scales for Lichen Bioaccumulation Data: The Italian Proposal. Atmosphere. 2019; 10(3):136. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10030136

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cecconi, Elva, Lorenzo Fortuna, Renato Benesperi, Elisabetta Bianchi, Giorgio Brunialti, Tania Contardo, Luca Di Nuzzo, Luisa Frati, Fabrizio Monaci, Silvana Munzi, and et al. 2019. "New Interpretative Scales for Lichen Bioaccumulation Data: The Italian Proposal" Atmosphere 10, no. 3: 136. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10030136

APA Style

Cecconi, E., Fortuna, L., Benesperi, R., Bianchi, E., Brunialti, G., Contardo, T., Di Nuzzo, L., Frati, L., Monaci, F., Munzi, S., Nascimbene, J., Paoli, L., Ravera, S., Vannini, A., Giordani, P., Loppi, S., & Tretiach, M. (2019). New Interpretative Scales for Lichen Bioaccumulation Data: The Italian Proposal. Atmosphere, 10(3), 136. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10030136

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