engleski

Biomonitoring of atmospheric heavy metal deposition by mosses growing across an elevation gradient in the mountain Risnjak area

Mountais are among the most sensitive ecosystems to climate change and are being affected at a faster rate than other terrestrial habitats. Mountains therefore represent unique areas for the assessment of climate-related impacts, including long- distance transport of air pollutants. Mosses serve as effective bioindicators of air quality because of their high surface-to-volume ratio and a very thin cuticle. In this study, we investigated variations in atmospheric heavy metal deposition across an elevation gradient in the Risnjak mountain region using mosses as bioindicators. The capacity for heavy metal accumulation was compared between two species, Brachythecium rutabulum and Hylocomium splendens collected during rainy and dry seasons in 2016, from 5 sampling sites at 350 to 1450 m elevation. Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn were analysed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (HRN ISO 22036:2011), while Hg was analysed by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HRN ISO 16772:2009). The Cd concentration ranged from 0.2 to 0.58 mg kg−1, Cr from 0.6 to 27 mg kg−1, Hg from 0.036 to 0.136 mg kg−1, Pb from 3.0 to 8.2 mg kg−1, and Zn from 8.6 to 82 mg kg−1 of dry tissue weight. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were measured in B. rutabulum, especially in the samples collected during the rainy season at higher altitudes, which can be related to more intensive deposition of metals from the atmosphere due to higher precipitation rates in the period before sampling.

biomonitoring, mosses, soil, pollution, metals

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