Impacts of air pollution on lichens and bryophytes mosses. As well as using air monitoring systems in large cities to keep track of pollution levels, there are other, more natural ways of detecting pollution. Specimen or photos of common species may be named andor matched to habitat. Lichens are two or more different organisms fungi, and algae or cyanobacteria, living together in a relationship where each partner derives some benefit from the other. Painting lichens using watercoloring techniques contributed by laurice anderson lichen lesson plan additional resources and references contributed by peter nelson contact peter nelson, website coordinator. The lichen worksheet and all of the specimen packets from a given plot will. Fungal cells are different from animals cells in that they have a. Environmental pollution and lichens, fullsize lab kit. Resources resources home early years prek and kindergarten primary elementary middle school secondary high school whole school special educational needs blog. Pencil wet erase marker compass string scissors to cut the string tree identification book optional. Lichens are the grayish or greenish or bluish green patches or spots that grow readily on tree trunks, fence posts and even rocks. This is because lichen get their nutrients directly from the air. Ut extension area nursery specialist revised 32010 we have seen lichens all of our lives.
Department of agriculture, forest service, pacific northwest research station. Water pollution lesson 3 warren hills regional school. Around an oilshale works at kvarntorp in sweden, skye 1958 found certain epiphytic lichens absent up to 8 km downwind and interpreted a zone of relative lichen abundance at 2 km as lying between the active spheres of pollution. Lichens and urban air pollution royal botanic garden. The pollutiontolerant lichen flavoparmelia caperata right. Two lives in oneteachers guide minnesota conservation volunteer 3.
Ensuring that the quality of that water is good enough for human use makes the challenge even greater. Because lichens are very sensitive to air pollutionparticularly to sulfur dioxide, fluoride, and ammonia their presence or absence is an indicator of forest health. Lichens are now returning to towns and cities in the. Divide the number for each lichen type, bare bark, and moss by 90 to get a decimal. Download this pollution worksheet from school of dragons which is made ideally for use in 3rd grade at home or school. Pull the pollution out is a cleverly designed free pdf worksheet that helps kids to identify what causes pollution. Air pollution lichen monitoring parks as classrooms great smoky mountains national park lichens 1 schoolyard lichen survey materials. Lichens and urban air pollution frequently asked questions 1. Pull the pollution out 3rd grade science worksheets sod. Next draw a picture to show where sensitive lichens may not survive i.
Pollution and conservation reading worksheet and quiz answer key questions 15 will have a variety of answers but should include information from wump world and the reading. Lesson 7 symptom scenarios air pollution and everyone air pollution is something we cant escape. In the past, when the air in many places was highly polluted by sulphur dioxide, few lichens could survive, creating lichen deserts around many industrial and urban areas. The acidity of a trees bark can also affect lichen abundance. Lichens as bioindicators of air quality usda forest service. Describe one way that individuals can reduce ocean pollution. Lichens are a terrific indicator to monitor environmental pollution. In polluted areas, or in areas where pollution has increased, the population of lichens of certain species will decrease while those of others increase because these can. This worksheet and quiz will allow you to test the following skills. Sulphur dioxide has been a significant industrial pollutant for many years, being a byproduct of the use of high sulphur fuels. Here i have a powerpoint to introduce lichens as pollution indicator species. Introducing lichens and pollution powerpoint opal for young naturelovers age 5 years onwards teachers notes 714 years ks2, ks3 selected references 714 years ks2, ks3.
Opal simple key twenty common lichens bls next steps materials lichens on twigs nhm online key to 60 lichens on twigs for teachers tutors. Certain types of lichen will only grow under certain conditions, for example. This report summarizes baseline results from the u. Hence the species of lichens present in a location and the concentration of pollutants measured in those lichens can tell us a lot about air quality. Lichens as air pollution indicators lichens are composite organisms formed by a fungus and a green alga andor a blue green bacterium. A fieldwork activity using lichens as bioindicators to. Read the article that has been assigned to your group and then, as a group, answer the following questions. Teachers guide to lichen lessons 14 forest service usda.
In fact, every minute of everyday, we breathe six of air pollution. In this kit, students discover the value of lichens as living indicators of environmental quality. The effect industrial point sources of so 2 have on lichens is similar to that of cities despite the different patterns of fumigation involved. Manual for monitoring air quality using lichens on. Lichens have been used worldwide as air pollution monitors because relatively low levels of su lfur, nitrogen, and fluorine containing pollutants especially so 2 and f gas, and acidic or fertilizing. A fieldwork activity using lichens as bioindicators to assess air quality in the local area background lichens are a common, natural indicator of the health of the air quality in our environment. The many types of pollution, harmful to the environment, need to be checked as soon as possible. Air pollution related lichen monitoring in national.
Lichens as bioindicators and biomonitors of air pollution the lichen thallus is a complex symbiotic vegetative lower plant composed of two organisms. From the left hand menu, choose lichen species data to reopen a new window 6. Teachers guide for the young naturalists article lichens. Posters illustrating the relationship of air and water pollution to lichen. Draw a picture below to show where sensitive lichens would. Lichens often grow on trees and shrubs, absorbing nutrients from the atmosphere. The pollution tolerant lichen flavoparmelia caperata right. Research using lichens as bioindicators of air pollution has been conducted in the city of lomza. Global pollution problems remember that the ocean is a connected global body of water. How to conduct a lichen inventory lesson 3 powerpoint. Care should be used when removing lichens specimens with a knife or chisel. Lichens are highly valued ecological indicators known for their sensitivity to a wide variety of environmental stressors like air quality and climate change. The affect of airborne pollution from the geothermal power plant in hells gate national park on lichen cover, diversity and height was investigated in this study.
Air pollution lichen monitoring parks as classrooms great smoky mountains national park lichens 2 datasheet to calculate the total lichen coverage for that side of the tree. Lichen, for example, are plants that are natural indicators of air pollution. There is also a simple pdf identification guide for students to use to identify lichens aound the school or at home. Different lichens will withstand different levels of sulphur dioxide concentrations and a survey of lichen species can establish the levels of atmospheric pollution in an area.
As it is, it is suitable for ht but could be adapted to. Reading comprehension ensure that you draw the most important information regarding the different types of. Lichens as a pollution indicator uk essays ukessays. Worksheet i modified from one i found somewhere on the internet. Around an oilshale works at kvarntorp in sweden, skye 1958 found certain epiphytic lichens absent up to 8 km downwind and interpreted a zone of relative lichen abundance at 2 km as lying between the active spheres of. Photographs that can be laminated incase you cant find any suitable ones to bring in to school. Lichens as air pollution indicators lichens are composite organisms formed by a fungus and a green alga and or a blue green bacterium. Lichens that are highly sensitive to air quality have been used to detect sources of pollution. What is are the types of pollution discu ssed in your article. The knife must have a locking blade or fixed blade. Lichens are two or more different organisms fungi, and algae or cyanobacteria, living together in a relationship where each partner derives some benefit from the other a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship. Ocean currents circulate water around the globe and carry pollutants to all parts of the ocean. The effect of air pollution on lichen distribution.
This study examined lichen distribution and diversity in hells gate national park and the possible effect, if any, of air pollution on the various lichen species. Some are curly while other types are fine textured, fuzzy and. Lichen bioindication of biodiversity, air quality, and climate. Lichens have been widely used as biomonitoring of atmospheric pollution, because these organisms respond to phytotoxic gases especially so2 and nox at cellular, individual and community level.
Count total number of marks for each lichen type, bare bark, and moss. The presence of indicator species of epiphytic and epilithic lichens has been analysed. Lichen projects for schools the british lichen society. Pollutants come in many forms in both town and country. Lichens are now returning to towns and cities in the uk, and they can still provide a great deal of information about air quality. This study is a comparative investigation of the content of heavy metals pb, cu, ni, zn and cr in mosses and lichens recorded in ten. Lichens in a changing pollution environment sciencedirect. Mosses and lichens bioindicators of heavy metals pollution of forest ecosystems. Sampling of lichens focused on two tree species, acacia drepanolobium and tarchonanthus camphoratus, and was carried out in three areas of the park, one heavily impacted by the. Pdf lichens as indicators of air pollution in lomza.
Air pollution related lichen monitoring in national parks. Students will perform experiments to see how different given pollution samples affect lichens. Lichens as bioindicators of sulfur dioxide request pdf. Since then, lichens have played prominent roles in air pollution studies throughout the world because of their sensitivity to different gaseous pollutants, particularly sulfur dioxide. Lichens and air pollution read the article the microbial world. Water pollution lesson 3 its a big challenge making sure everyone has the fresh water he or she needs.
A worksheet that asks the students to draw a graph and draw conclusions about the effects of air pollution on the distribution of lichens. The red dots are locations where lichens have been measured for the last twenty years 5. Can lichens really be used as an indication of the. To be safe for humans and other organisms, water must be relatively free of diseasecausing organisms and toxic substances. The algae in lichens photosynthesize create food from sunlight energy, and both the algae and fungus absorb water, minerals, and pollutants from the air, through rain and dust. Importance lichens may look like small plants, but theyre actually composites of a fungus and an algae. Some types of lichen are more sensitive to air pollution. Lichens are highly valued ecological indicators known for their sensitivity. Hawksworth and rose 1976 reported that in the early 1860s lichens were recognized as potential indicators of air pollution in britain and europe. They are highly sensitive to subtle changes in environmental conditions, especially air pollution from sulphur dioxide and nitrous compounds. At the end of class, each group will present on what they read. Lichens growing in remote, pristine environments can experience n limitation, especially fast growing species crittenden et al 1994.
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