Are lichens effective as monitors of air quality?
Are lichens effective as monitors of air quality?
Lichen, which consists of a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga, is sensitive to atmospheric pollution including nitrogen and sulfur emissions that lead to acid rain, as well as toxic lead and mercury emissions. This sensitivity makes lichen a valuable biological indicator of air quality.
Which can indicate air pollution?
Lichens are widely used as environmental indicators or bio-indicators. If air is very badly polluted with sulphur dioxide there may be no lichens present, just green algae may be found. If the air is clean, shrubby, hairy and leafy lichens become abundant.
How do lichens help the environment?
Because lichens enable algae to live all over the world in many different climates, they also provide a means to convert carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through photosynthesis into oxygen, which we all need to survive. Lichens can provide us with valuable information about the environment around us.
Why does carbon monoxide pollute the air?
Carbon monoxide (CO)—a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and toxic air pollutant—is produced in the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels, such as gasoline, natural gas, oil, coal, and wood. In the 1960s, vehicle emissions led to increased and unhealthful ambient CO concentrations in many U.S. cities.
Where in the US is there more air pollution?
Most Polluted Cities | State of the Air
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | los-angeles-long-beach-ca.html | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | bakersfield-ca.html | 2 |
| Visalia, CA | visalia-ca.html | 3 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | fresno-madera-hanford-ca.html | 4 |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | phoenix-mesa-az.html | 5 |
Who has the worst air in the US?
Los Angeles air pollution. Los Angeles has the most contaminated air in the country. With a population of roughly over 10 million, the Los Angeles area is a large basin with the Pacific Ocean to the west and bounded prominently on the north and east by the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains.