Evaluation of air quality using lichens in three different types of forest in Korea

Figures & data

Figure 1. Studied places, Quercus forest (•), coniferous forest (▴), and deciduous forest (★).

Table 1. Latitude, longitude and altitude of the studied plots in South Korea.

Forest type	Latitude	Longitude	Altitude (m)
Quercus forest	33°25′29.8″ N	126° 33′29.8″ E	618
Coniferous forest	33°40′64.8″ N	126° 41′57.0″ E	544
Deciduous forest	37°11′49.2″ N	128° 54′40.9″ E	1413

Table 2. Lichen species in each plot.

Lichen species	Quercus forest	Coniferous forest	Deciduous forest	Total no. of colonies	Total cover value (cm^2)
Agonimia pacifica	+	+	_	3	11
Anaptychia cf. stippaea	-	-	+	3	12.3
Anaptychia isidiza	+	-	-	6	13
Anaptychia obscurata	+	-	-	9	12
Anaptychia sp.	-	-	+	24	121.5
Anaptychia tentaculata	-	+	+	19	63.35
Anzia opuntiella	-	-	+	1	57.45
Bacidia sp.	+	+	-	5	6.75
Cladonia cf. cornuta	+	+	-	34	72.25
Cladonia cf. ramulosa	+	-	-	5	9
Cladonia chlorophaea	-	+	-	16	50.45
Cladonia coniocraea	+	+	-	6	41.35
Cladonia gracilis	+	-	-	11	11
Cladonia ramulosa	+	+	-	108	611.5
Cladonia sp.	+	-	-	11	79
Collema cf. subflaccidum	-	-	+	12	497.55
Collema sp.	-	-	+	1	62.5
Dimerella lutea	+	-	+	15	72.1
Dirinaria applanata	-	+	-	6	6
Graphis sp.	+	-	-	31	124
Heterodermia flabellata	+	-	-	1	1
Heterodermia hypoleuca	+	+	-	4	16.3
Heterodermia japonica	-	+	-	99	263.75
Heterodermia obscurata	+	+	-	15	45.5
Hypotrachyna cf. exsecta	-	+	-	14	41.65
Hypotrachyna cf. imbricatula	-	+	-	31	197.25
Hypotrachyna dactylifera	-	+	-	6	7.9
Lecanora sp.	+	+	+	17	68.95
Lecidea sp.	-	+	-	18	37.2
Lecidella sp.	+	+	-	12	45.85
Lepraria sp.	+	+	+	44	450.85
Leprocaulon sp.	-	+	-	10	6.05
Leptogium azurium	-	-	+	5	20.85
Leptogium cf. denticulatum	+	-	-	2	18
Lobaria discolor	-	-	+	12	209.5
Menegazzia terebrata	-	+	-	4	3.45
Myelochroa aurulenta	+	+	-	599	2926.3
Myelochroa cf. sikkimensis	+	-	-	84	681
Myelochroa entotheiochroa	+	-	+	361	3613.55
Myelochroa irrugans	+	+	+	329	4794.6
Myelochroa leucotyliza	+	-	-	33	311
Ochrolechia cf. africana	+	-	-	1	4
Ochrolechia subpallescens	+	-	-	12	94
Parmelia adaugescens	+	-	-	18	57
Parmelia leavior	+	-	-	86	866
Parmelinopsis subalbicans	+	-	-	30	89
Parmotrema reticulatum	+	+	-	70	745.4
Pertusaria ophthalmiza	+	-	-	9	138
Pertusaria sp.	+	-	+	22	230.3
Phaeophyscia adiastola	+	-	-	5	16
Phaeophyscia cf. limbata	-	-	+	14	15.95
Phaeophyscia denigrata	-	-	+	1	1.75
Phaeophyscia endococcinodes	-	-	+	15	33.7
Phaeophyscia hispidula	-	-	+	217	372.9
Phaeophyscia imbricata	+	-	-	5	30
Phaeophyscia squarrosa	-	-	+	12	14.75
Physcia caesia	-	+	-	15	13.95
Punctelia borreri	+	+	-	4	189.1
Punctelia rudecta	+	-	-	66	191
Pyrenula sp.	+	-	-	35	153
Ramalina yasudae	-	+	-	1	2.25
Sterile crust	-	-	+	24	96.45
Sterile crust X	-	+	+	27	75.15
Unknown crust 1	-	-	+	10	71.65
Total	37	27	21

Note: +, present; -, absent.

Figure 2. Total number of species and lichen genera found in three forest plots.

Figure 3. Mathematical set indicating distribution of all lichen species in three forest types.

Table 3. Variation of diversity indices, IAP, and pollutant concentrations within each forest plot.

Parameter	Quercus forest	Coniferous forest	Deciduous forest
Shannon (H′)	37.680	16.640	14.214
Simpson diversity (1–D)	0.974	0.092	0.897
IAP	53.930	41.450	30.980
SO2	1.805	1.667	6.744
NO2	0.245	0.639	0.544
O3	27.491	21.228	23.551

Figure 4. Variation of average pollutant concentration and diversity indices among the plots.

Figure 5. Correlation of lichen diversity, NO₂, and SO₂ concentrations with IAP.