engleski

Biomonitoring air quality using lichens in the university campus in the city of Osijek (Croatia)

Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia. It is administrative, economic and cultural centre of the Eastern Croatia. University of Osijek was founded in 1975, and comprises 11 faculties, 5 departments and an Art Academy. The academic community consists of 17337 students and 1134 teaching staff in 2014. University obliged to promote and implement principles and practice of environmental protection and sustainable development at all levels. University campus covers area of 23.2 ha, where construction of new buildings and infrastructure for education and daily life of students, as well as urban planning started in 2002. In the green space of campus an inventory of trees was carried out in 2012, combined with lichenological survey of epiphytic lichen flora. The lichen samples were collected from trees at height up to 2 m. A total of 365 trees and 21 different species were recorded. Planting of landscape trees and other woody plants is considered as an effective measure for increasing annual rate of carbon storage and sequestering in the campus. Epiphytic lichen flora recorded on various trees consists of eight species. Foliose lichens dominates (75%), followed by crustose and fruticose lichen with equal shares of 12.5%. By applying the lichens as bio-indicators of air quality, the air in the university campus in the City of Osijek has been assessed as moderately polluted. Due to intake of dust and increased on-road emissions of nitrogen compounds, the trees are covered by nitrophilous lichens, resistant to higher eutrophication and tolerant to air pollution.

lichen ; air ; pollution ; university ; sustainability

nije evidentirano