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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Jagiellonian Univeristy Repository POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 60 2 225–240 2012 (Pol. J. Ecol.) Regular research paper Agnieszka SŁABY* and Maja LISOWSKA Zdzisław Czeppe Department of Polar Research and Documentation, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, 27 Kopernika st, 31-501 Cracow, Poland *e-mails: [email protected] (corresponding author), [email protected] EPIPHYTIC LICHEN RECOLONIZATION IN THE CENTRE OF CRACOW (SOUTHERN POLAND) AS A RESULT OF AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ABSTRACT: Epiphytic lichen distribution Cecchetti 2001). They take up water, to- and diversity were investigated in seven locali- gether with different dissolved contaminants, ties in the centre of Cracow (South Poland). Field over the entire surface of the organism, di- studies were carried out in the years 2007–2009. rectly from the atmosphere (Nimis and A total of 39 species were recorded at 434 sites; Purvis 2002). Direct relationship between 6 species are new to Cracow. Compared to pre- lichen survival and air pollution was first no- vious surveys, the overall situation has generally improved, with higher lichen species richness and ticed by Nylander in Paris in the year 1866. cover rate. The area of former ‘lichen desert’ in the Numerous further studies have been focused city centre has disappeared and it has been colo- on the influence of sulphur dioxide (SO2) (e.g. Nash 1973) and nitrogen oxides (NO ) (e.g. nized by SO2 sensitive macrolichen species. Dom- x inance of nitrogen- and dust-tolerant species has Nash 1976, van Dobben et al. 2001) on li- been observed. The health of lichen thalli has im- chens. Methods of SO2 level assessment using proved and many young specimens were recorded epiphytic lichens (e.g. Hawksworth and in the study area. These changes follow air quality Rose 1970) have been widely used in urban improvement, mainly the SO2 decline, during the and industrial areas in Europe since 1970s. Li- last twenty years. Transport-related NO and dust x chens have also been used as biomonitors of have become the main pollutants in the centre of many other contaminants, e.g. heavy metals, Cracow. The recolonization process seems to be not completed yet and further improvement in li- fluorides, radionuclides, phosphorus, diox- chen distribution and diversity is expected. Thus ins, furans (e.g. Gilbert 1971, Olech et al. long-term biomonitoring is required. 1981, Conti and Cecchetti 2001, Garty et al. 2003, Augusto et al. 2007, Augusto KEY WORDS: lichens, recolonization, air et al. 2009). Lichens respond rapidly to de- pollution, SO2, NOx creasing concentrations of air pollution, thus even annual changes of the air pollutants can 1. INTRODUCTION be detected using lichens (Loppi et al. 2004). For many years SO2 has been considered Lichens are effective bioindicators of air as the main and most harmful substance caus- quality because of their morphological and ing decline of lichens in cities and industrial physiological characteristics (Conti and regions throughout the world (Purvis et al. 226 Agnieszka Słaby and Maja Lisowska 2003). The places where no epiphytic lichens and lichen bioindication were investigated can exist are called ‘lichen deserts’ (Purvis by Lojka (1868), Jabłoński (1872), Ber- et al. 2003). The correlation between high dau (1876), Rehman (1879) and Bober- concentrations of SO2 in the atmosphere and ski (1886) (after Kiszka and Kościelniak lichen decline is well documented (Seaward 1996). Later studies, from the middle of the th 1993). Over the last decades emission of SO2 20 century, were mostly focused on epi- in most developed countries has started to phytic lichens. Zurzycki (1950) presented decrease in response to more severe emis- the first lichenoindication map of Cracow. In sion control regulations and socio-economic the 1970s research on lichens in the city and changes (Bates et al. 2001). As a result re- its surroundings, was undertaken by Kiszka colonization of ‘lichen deserts’ is visible. (1977), who documented the negative influ- Recovery of lichen biota and improvement ence of air contaminants on lichen distribu- in lichen diversity has been documented in tion. In the 1990s an updated lichenoindica- European cities and conurbations such as e.g. tion map of Cracow was presented by Kiszka London (Rose and Hawksworth 1981), and Kościelniak (1996). Both Zurzycki Munich (Kandler and Poelt 1984), Paris (1950), and Kiszka and Kościelniak (1996) (Seaward and Letrouit-Galinou 1991), observed large area of ‘lichen desert’ in the city Rome (Munzi et al. 2007) and Torino (Iso- centre (Fig. 1). During the latest studies (Kisz- crono et al. 2007) as well as in smaller towns ka and Kościelniak 1996) some young indi- (Loppi et al. 2002, Loppi and Corsini viduals of epiphytic lichens were found in the 2003, Loppi et al. 2003, Hultengren et inner parts of ‘lichen desert’, which suggested al. 2004, Loppi et al. 2004). In many urban the beginning of a recolonization process. areas SO2 concentrations are today equal or Despite numerous studies on lichen re- only slightly higher than in surrounding covery, there is still few information concern- rural areas, while NOx and other contami- ing conurbations of Central Europe, and this nants concentrations are still on a high level work tries to fill this gap. The aim of the study (Hultengren et al. 2004). This suggests that was to investigate the latest changes in epi- lichen growth in urban areas is no longer de- phytic lichen vegetation and probable lichen termined by SO2, but other factors play a ma- recolonization in the centre of Cracow, and jor role (Seaward 1997, Purvis et al. 2003). also to assess the state of air pollution in this The history of lichen biota of Cracow is area using lichens as biomonitors. The cur- well documented. The first studies on lichens rent study provides a complement to the data in Cracow were carried out in the middle of the about lichen dynamics in urban areas from 19th century. Problems related to physiography this part of Europe. Vistula Vistula Cracow 0 5km Fig. 1. General overview of Cracow with boundaries of the study area marked with dotted line; grey colour – extent of the ‘lichen desert’ in 1996 (after Kiszka and Kościelniak 1996). Lichen recolonization in the Cracow centre 227 2.STUDY AREA city (German 2007). There are about 25.1% windless days during the year, mostly in au- Cracow (50°03´41˝N, 19°56´18˝E), the tumn (Mikulska-Szostek 1988). Gener- capital of the Małopolska Voivodship, is the ally, the urban area of Cracow is warmer than largest city in the South of Poland with a its surroundings, which is called an urban population of 755 000 in the area of 327 km2 heat island (UHI) (Lewińska 2000). (Statistical Office in Cracow 2010). The city is situated in the valley of the Vistula River, 2.2. Air pollution between the Jura Highland in the north and the Carpathians in the south (Fig. 1). The Rapid industry development in Cracow main industrial facilities of Cracow are locat- after the Second World War caused a very ed in its eastern and southern parts, however severe atmosphere contamination, especially nowadays there is a tendency to move com- with particulates, SO2 and NOx. The ma- panies to the suburbs. Currently there are jor emission source has been the T. Sendzi- two major sources of substantial air pollution mir Steelworks (former V. Lenin Steelworks; in the city: ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. unit ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. today). In 1965 in Cracow (former T. Sendzimir Steelworks) approximately 124.5 103 tons of dust and 3 and Heat and Power Station “KRAKOW” SA 358.9 10 tons of SO2 were emitted to the at- (Report… 2009). According to the prevailing mosphere in Cracow, of which 53 and 13%, winds in Cracow, pollutants coming from the respectively, was emitted by V. Lenin Steel- adjacent Upper Silesian Industrial Region (in works (Hess 1969, Bokwa 2007). the west) and from a coal-fired electric power Data from the late 1980s and early 1990s station in Skawina (in the south-west from shows very high level of SO2 and particu- Cracow) have also considerable influence. lar matter PM10 in the air. Since then a sig- nificant improvement in air quality in the 2.1 Weather whole Małopolska Voivodship has been seen, following decrease of industrial emission According to long-lasting monitoring (Fig. 2). During the last 15 years significant (Matuszko 2007) average annual rainfall changes in economy led to modernization in Cracow is 679 mm, most of which is con- of technological process and development of centrated in summer period (July). Mean an- companies running according to new, pro- nual temperature is 8.7oC. The hottest month ecological technologies, which resulted in re- is July (18.9oC) and the coldest is January duction in the pollutants emissions. The av- o (–2.1 C). The prevailing winds are W and erage annual SO2 emission is now about two SW. The city location in the Vistula River Val- times lower than in the 1980s, and the level ley provides frequent fogs and temperature of PM10 emission has decreased almost fifteen inversion limiting natural ventilation in the times (Fig. 3). Nowadays concentrations of 160 dust 140 SO2 NOx 120 kg) 6 100 80 60 40 Emission (10 20 0 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 Years Fig. 2. Changes of dust (PM10), SO2, NOx emission levels in the former Cracow Voivodship in the years 1985–1996. 228 Agnieszka Słaby and Maja Lisowska Table 1. List of epiphytic lichen species noted in selected parts of Cracow in the 1970s (Kiszka 1977), 1990s (Kiszka and Kościelniak 1996) and in the years 2007–2009 and their tolerance (T) to nu- trients (after Smith et al.