title: Determination of elemental baseline using peltigeralean lichens from Northeastern Canada (Québec): Initial data collection for long term monitoring of the impact of global climate change on boreal and subarctic area in Canada.
abstract: Northeastern Canada is mostly free of anthropogenic activities. The extent to which this territory has been impacted by anthropogenic atmospheric depositions remains to be studied. The main goal of our study was to establish background levels for metals in boreal muscicolous/terricolous macrolichens over non-urbanized areas of northeastern Canada (Québec). Concentrations of 18 elements (Na, Mg, Al, P, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, and Pb) were determined for three species of the genus Peltigera (Peltigera aphthosa (L.) Willd. s.l., Peltigera neopolydactyla (Gyeln.) Gyeln. s.l., Peltigera scabrosa Th. Fr. s.l.), and Nephroma arcticum (L.) Torss., along a 1080 km south-north transect and along a of 730 km west-east transect. We report that elemental contents in the sampled lichen thalli are very low and similar to background levels found in other studies performed in pristine places (high elevation or remote ecosystems) throughout the world. Overall, our results demonstrate that most of the boreal and subarctic zone of Québec (northeastern Canada) is still pristine. The elemental baseline established in these lichen populations will contribute to monitor metal pollution in boreal and sub-polar ecosystems due to global climate change and future industrial expansion.
authors.affiliation: Centre Sève, Département de chimie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boul. de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 2R1, Canada.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Darnajoux
authors.affiliation: Department of biology, Duke University, 125 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lutzoni
authors.affiliation: Department of biology, Duke University, 125 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miadlikowska
authors.affiliation: Centre Sève, Département de chimie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boul. de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 2R1, Canada. Electronic address: Jean-Philippe.Bellenger@USherbrooke.ca.
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bellenger
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057231:Climate Change; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008011:Lichens / Q000737:chemistry*; D011792:Quebec
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants
keywords: Baseline; Biomonitoring; Lichens; Nephroma arcticum; Peltigera spp.; Pristine area; Québec