title: The performance of moss, grass, and 1- and 2-year old spruce needles as bioindicators of contamination: a comparative study at the scale of the Czech Republic.
abstract: Moss (Pleurozium schreberi), grass (Avenella flexuosa), and 1- and 2-year old spruce (Picea abies) needles were collected over the territory of the Czech Republic at an average sample density of 1 site per 290km(2). The samples were analysed for 39 elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, Rb, S, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Th, Tl, U, V, Y and Zn) using ICP-MS and ICP-AES techniques (the major nutrients Ca, K, Mg and Na were not analysed in moss). Moss showed by far the highest element concentrations for most elements. Exceptions were Ba (spruce), Mn (spruce), Mo (grass), Ni (spruce), Rb (grass) and S (grass). Regional distribution maps and spatial trend analysis were used to study the suitability of the four materials as bioindicators of anthropogenic contamination. The highly industrialised areas in the north-west and the far east of the country and several more local contamination sources were indicated in the distribution maps of one or several sample materials. At the scale of the whole country moss was the best indicator of known contamination sources. However, on a more local scale, it appeared that spruce needles were especially well suited for detection of urban contamination.
authors.affiliation: Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Kvetnove namesti 391, 252 43 Pruhonice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Suchara
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sucharova
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hola
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reimann
authors.forename: Rognvald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Filzmoser
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Englmaier
mesh_terms: D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry; D019068:Bryopsida / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018153:Czech Republic; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D028222:Picea / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D014131:Trace Elements