Project:

Biomonitoring: Lichen as Bioindicators of Air Pollution in Urban & Suburban Areas

Students:

Olivia Craig, Jonah Gurion

School:

Rye Country Day School, Other

Mentors:

Jennifer Busuttil-Doran

Abstract:

Air pollution has many negative effects on the environment, from plant growth and development to biodiversity loss due to urbanization, heat islands, and climate change. Urban and Suburban areas of New York face different, but similar problems in air pollution. Cities tend to have higher levels of vehicle emissions due to population density whereas rural areas tend to have more agricultural wastes and pollutants from fertilizers and emissions from machinery. How might we utilize bioindicator species such as “lichens” to assess air quality in our local communities? We know lichens depend on atmospheric moisture, rain, fog, and dew for growth, and there are usually very few lichens around in industrial cities and towns compared to rural regions. Additionally, they can be a quick and cost-effective tool in giving us a window into the quality of our air in our local communities. This study aims to investigate the distribution and abundance of lichens species on tree trunks and branches

Poster:

Team samples: