title: Tolerance of the lichen Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr. to metal stress.
abstract: Comparisons were made between the content of Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Sb and Zn in thalli of the lichen Xanthoria parietina and selected physiological processes. Assimilation pigments, activity of photosystem II, parietin, reactive substances produced using thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and CO(2) gas exchange were measured in order to assess tolerance to atmospheric sources of pollution. As expected, lichen thalli accumulated high amounts of the measured elements in relation to distance from pollution sources in Kosice, Slovak Republic (US Steel factory and vehicular traffic in the city center). However, except for TBA reactive substances production and to some extent CO(2) gas exchange at the most polluted station, none of the tested physiological parameters showed a clear correlation between accumulation of elements and physiological damage. This reflected a high degree of pollution tolerance in this lichen and corresponded with its high abundance in Kosice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Safárik University, Mánesova 23, 041 67 Kosice, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dzubaj
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Backor
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomko
authors.forename: Evelin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Peli
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tuba
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D004642:Emodin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D008011:Lichens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D018154:Slovakia; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002338:Carotenoids; C037184:chlorophyll b; C008905:physcione; D004642:Emodin; D000077194:Chlorophyll A