INTERSPECIES COMPARISON OF LICHENS AS BIOMONITORS OF TRACE-ELEMENT AIR-POLLUTION

The linearity of the interspecies relation between the elemental conte nts in Parmelia sulcata and Lecanora conizaeoides, sampled in a pollut ed area, was examined by the function y = az + b and yz-1 = a + bz-1, with y and z being the elemental content in Parmelia and Lecanora, res pectively. For As, Co, V and Zn significant positive a and b values we re found, allowing interspecies calibration. For Br, Cd, Cr, Fe, La, S b, Se and W the a values were zero and the b values were positive, ind icating saturation of Parmelia and thus ruling out interspecies calibr ation. For Cu a part of the data set showed saturation effects in Leca nora. The results showed that the average concentration ratio could no t be used for intercalibration purposes, because the concentration rat ios were dependent on the concentrations.