Long-term biomonitoring with lichens: comparing data from different sampling procedures

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Botany
• Ecology

Background:

• Biomonitoring using epiphytic lichens assesses atmospheric quality.
• Standardization of monitoring protocols is crucial for data comparability.
• Temporal changes in air quality impact lichen biodiversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare biomonitoring data collected using different protocols.
• To assess temporal variations in atmospheric quality in Ancona Province.
• To optimize sampling effort for future lichen surveys.

Main Methods:

• Two biomonitoring surveys conducted between 1996-2003.
• A pilot study using two sampling protocols to ensure data comparability.
• Analysis of epiphytic lichen diversity to infer atmospheric quality changes.
• Sampling density study to determine optimal grid size.

Main Results:

• High correlation between biodiversity values obtained with different protocols.
• Improved atmospheric quality indicated by reduced 'altered' and increased 'semi-altered' lichen stations.
• A 6 x 6 km grid identified as optimal sampling density for cost-efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Lichen biomonitoring data from different protocols can be reliably compared.
• Atmospheric quality in Ancona Province has improved over the study period.
• Optimized sampling density can reduce future survey costs without compromising data integrity.