title: Mercury in mosses Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) B.S.G. and Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. from Poland and Alaska: understanding the origin of pollution sources.
abstract: This report shows baseline concentrations of mercury in the moss species Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi from the Kielce area and the remaining Holy Cross Mountains (HCM) region (south-central Poland), and Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve (Alaska) and Denali National Park and Preserve (Alaska). Like mosses from many European countries, Polish mosses were distinctly elevated in Hg, bearing a signature of cross-border atmospheric transport combined with local point sources. In contrast, Alaskan mosses showed lower Hg levels, reflecting mostly the underlying geology. Compared to HCM, Alaskan and Kielce mosses exhibited more uneven spatial distribution patterns of Hg. This variation is linked to topography and location of local point sources (Kielce) and underlying geology (Alaska). Both H. splendens and P. schreberi showed similar bioaccumulative capabilities of Hg in all four study areas.
authors.affiliation: Geochemistry and the Environment Division, Institute of Chemistry, Jan Kochanowski University, 15G Swietokrzyska Street, 25-406 Kielce, Poland. zmig@ujk.kielce.pl
authors.forename: Zdzisław M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Migaszewski
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gałuszka
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dołegowska
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Crock
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lamothe
mesh_terms: D000413:Alaska; D044002:Bryophyta / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D011044:Poland; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008628:Mercury