The Ride for Russia tree lichen survey

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Simon ABSTRACT The prevalence of nine indicator lichens found on trees in Northern Europe and Western Russia was used for monitoring air quality.

1 Simon ABSTRACT The prevalence of nine indicator lichens found on trees in Northern Europe and Western Russia was used for monitoring air quality. The 4200 mile route of the survey went through eight countries. Surveys were carried out in cities, towns, countryside and forests, and along motorways. The author has conducted tree lichen surveys with pupils from schools and orphanages in Western Russia for many years. As expected, the calculated lichen at each site correlated negatively with the published nitrogen dioxide levels in that area, and nitrogen-sensitive lichens were found to be most prevalent in forests and less-industrialised locations close to the Baltic Sea. In March 2011, the author conducted a survey of tree lichens, through eight different countries, when helping to plan a route for the Ride for Russia motorcycle charity ride. * The author has conducted tree lichen surveys with pupils from schools and orphanages for many years in Western Russia (Figures 1 3). The survey used nine epiphytic indicator lichens found on trees in Western Russia and across Northern Europe that can be used for monitoring air quality ( and Wolseley, 2010). Epiphytic lichens are those which grow on another plant (usually trees) upon which they depend for mechanical support but not for nutrients. The survey was carried out to encourage Russian school authorities to see how this methodology can be used by students over large regions of Western Russia and Northern Europe and to show that it was possible for them to conduct their own fieldwork. The route (Figure 4) started in the UK and then went through the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, through Western Russia to Moscow, north up to St Petersburg and across into Estonia, and then back through different parts of Latvia and Lithuania, Russian Kaliningrad, a different part of Poland, Germany and the Netherlands, and finally ended back in the UK. It passed through eight countries in 15 days and was approximately miles long. Surveys were carried out along motorways and in cities, towns, countryside and forests that the route passed through. Method Monitoring air quality using lichens on trees is a method now widely used in Western Russia ( and Wolseley, 2010) with schools and was the method employed in this Ride for Russia tree lichen survey. * The actual Ride for Russia took place in June 2011 and was a sponsored motorcycle ride in support of the Genesis Project for orphanage leavers that was organised by Love Russia, a UK registered charity. Figure 1 Russian students conducting a tree lichen survey SSR March 2013, 94(348) 113

Figure 2 Russian students and a teacher on a lichen survey near St Petersburg Figure 3 Students using the Russian air quality survey method Key Route out Route in Lichen - High Score Lichen -

The map shows the location of the main survey sites through Northern Europe and Western Russia. The lichen s are illustrated by using a traffic light system to show high and low pollution s.

, Evernia prunastri and Hypogymnia physodes; l three intermediate lichen species (which can be found in both clean and polluted conditions) Parmelia spp., Melanelia spp.

The UK Opal air pollution survey work by the OPAL Air Centre, Imperial College London and the British Lichen Society focuses on two types of air pollutant that contain nitrogen: ammonia and 114 SSR

2 Figure 2 Russian students and a teacher on a lichen survey near St Petersburg Figure 3 Students using the Russian air quality survey method Key Route out Route in Lichen - High Score Lichen - Intermediate Score Lichen - Low Score Figure 4 The route of the Ride for Russia lichen study. All data were gathered between 12 and 27 March The map shows the location of the main survey sites through Northern Europe and Western Russia. The lichen s are illustrated by using a traffic light system to show high and low pollution s. In this method, nine indicator lichen species are used (Figures 5 13): l three nitrogen-sensitive lichens Usnea spp., Evernia prunastri and Hypogymnia physodes; l three intermediate lichen species (which can be found in both clean and polluted conditions) Parmelia spp., Melanelia spp. and Physcia aipolia; l three nitrogen-loving species Xanthoria spp., Physcia adscendens/physcia tenella and Hyperphyscia adglutinata. The UK Opal air pollution survey work by the OPAL Air Centre, Imperial College London and the British Lichen Society focuses on two types of air pollutant that contain nitrogen: ammonia and 114 SSR March 2013, 94(348) oxides of nitrogen, NOx (a mixture of nitric oxide, NO, and nitrogen dioxide, NO2) (see Websites). NOx is an air pollutant harmful to humans and ecosystems and plays a key role in tropospheric photochemistry by regulating the abundance of the OH radical. In the presence of oxygen from the air, NO is rapidly converted to NO2. Good knowledge of the spatial distribution of NO2 is important for assessing the air quality over a given domain. Mean concentrations as well as peak loads are relevant and air quality limits have been defined in Europe for both (see Websites). The method for monitoring air quality using lichens on trees used in this survey is based on

Figure 5 Usnea sp. Figure 6 Evernia prunastri Figure 7 Hypogymnia physodes Figure 8 Parmelia sp.

Figure 12 Physcia adscendens/ Physcia tenella Figure 13 Hyperphyscia adglutinata that in the UK OPAL

The author collected nine common indicator lichens that had been identified and selected by the Botany

Four trees of the same species were sampled at each site.

lichens can receive maximum light and moisture for growth.

No more than 10 minutes on each tree trunk was necessary ( and Wolseley, 2010).

found (amounting in total to less than one-quarter of an A4 sheet of paper), 2 if a medium amount of

large amount overall was found (more than one A4 sheet) ( and Wolseley, 2010).

3 Figure 5 Usnea sp. Figure 6 Evernia prunastri Figure 7 Hypogymnia physodes Figure 8 Parmelia sp. Figure 9 Melanelia sp. Figure 10 Physcia aipolia Figure 11 Xanthoria sp. Figure 12 Physcia adscendens/ Physcia tenella Figure 13 Hyperphyscia adglutinata that in the UK OPAL tree lichen survey but it was adapted for Western Russia. The author collected nine common indicator lichens that had been identified and selected by the Botany Department at the Natural History Museum and by the British Lichen Society (, 2007). Four trees of the same species were sampled at each site. The trees used were birch, oak or alder, and they were selected in an open, unshaded aspect where lichens can receive maximum light and moisture for growth. The part of the trunk sampled was where most lichen growth occurs cm above the ground around the whole circumference. This area was assessed by eye for the presence or absence of each of the possible nine lichen species. No more than 10 minutes on each tree trunk was necessary ( and Wolseley, 2010). A result of 0 was recorded if no lichen indicator species was found, 1 if a small amount overall was found (amounting in total to less than one-quarter of an A4 sheet of paper), 2 if a medium amount of indicator lichen was found (amounting in total to between one-quarter and a whole A4 sheet) and 3 if a large amount overall was found (more than one A4 sheet) ( and Wolseley, 2010). For nitrogen-sensitive lichens all s were recorded with a positive sign and for nitrogenloving lichens all s were recorded with a negative sign. The intermediate indicator lichens were not used in the scoring. The survey also recorded the frequency of each indicator species at the site as 1, 2 or 3 (subsequently changed to 2, 4 and 6 in order to get a wider spread see the OPAL air survey website). SSR March 2013, 94(348) 115

4 Each species was multiplied by its frequency and these were then added up to yield a lichen for that site. The possible lichen per site ranged from 54 (if there were only nitrogen-loving species, all at frequency 6) to +54 (if there were only nitrogen-sensitive species, all at frequency 6). The lichen s were then represented on a map in the form of traffic light colours (Figure 4): l red for lichen s in the range 54 to 0; l orange for 0 to +10; l green for +10 to +54. These traffic light colours have been used successfully to show the results of air quality monitoring in Russian schools ( and Mustafin, 2011). Results The map in Figure 4 shows the location of the survey sites throughout Northern Europe and Western Russia, with the lichen s indicated using a traffic light system to show high and low pollution s. A high positive indicates low pollution (green) and a high negative indicates high pollution (red). Table 1 lists more details of the sites and their characteristics, including the tree species, the lichen species s, the calculated lichen s, the NO 2 levels (from European Environment Table 1 The Ride for Russia lichen study Site Coordinates Tree Lichen species The Netherlands, Utrecht N 5.11 E Alder Xanthoria 3, Physcia 1 The Netherlands, 52.2 N 5.25 E Birch Xanthoria 3, Oostvaardersplassen, nr Lelystad Germany, Osnabruk N 7.97E Birch Xanthoria 3, Germany, nr Hanover N 9.75 E Oak Parmelia 1, Xanthoria 3, Physcia 3 Lichen Traffic light colour NO 2 / Comments µg m Industrial and nr motorway In a nature reserve but nr industrial sites Woodland,nr industry and motorway Woodland and farmland Germany, Frankfurt N 8.68 E Birch Xanthoria 3, Physcia Woodland nr motorway Germany N E Birch No lichens Nr motorway and intensive farming Germany, 50 km N E Birch No lichens Nr motorway and intensive farming from Berlin Germany, Berlin N E Birch Hyperphyscia In Tiergarten park, city centre Germany, Berlin N E Oak Physcia 1, No road, in woodland Germany, 74 km N N Oak Parmelia 1, Nr roadway and forest from Berlin, Germany, nr hotel N E Oak, Within a park by river Hyperphyscia 1 Germany, nr N E Oak Xanthoria 2, Nr river but within city Magdeburg Poland, nr Torun N E Oak Usnea 1, Forest edge Evernia 3, Hypogymnia 3 Poland, nr N E Birch Hypogymnia 2, Woodland nr motorway Augustow Poland, nr Mikolajewo N E Oak Evernia 3, Hypogymnia Trees by roadway but Xanthoria at base of trees Poland, Golub Dobrzyn N E Oak Evernia 3, Forest 116 SSR March 2013, 94(348)

5 Site Coordinates Tree Lichen species Lichen Traffic light colour NO 2 / Comments µg m 3 Lithuania, Neris N E Birch Xanthoria 2, By motorway Physcia 3 Lithuania, Vidiskti N E Birch Hypogymnia By road in town Lithuania, Hotel N E Oak Parmelia 3, Nr road and houses Klaipeda Physcia 1 Lithuania, nr Hotel N E Birch Hypogymnia In forest Klaipeda Lithuania on N E Birch Evernia 3, In forest by the sea peninsula Hypogymnia 3 Lithuania N E Birch Hypogymnia Forest nr sea Russia, Kaliningrad, N E Birch Hypogymnia 1, Nr the town Baagratiovsk Parmelia 1, Latvia, 83 km from N E Birch Evernia 3, Riga Parmelia 1 Latvia, Mazeikai N E Birch Xanthoria 3, Latvia, Medumuezeraine N E Oak Usnea 2, Evernia 3, Hypogymnia 1, Parmelia In forest In city By huge lake on very old oak trees Latvia, Toropec nr N E Birch Evernia 1, In a town Rezekne Parmelia 1 Latvia, Rezekne N E Birch, In city by roadway Russia, Zastino N E Birch Hypogymnia Nr roadway in forest Russia, M9 motorway N E Birch Hypogymnia Nr motorway but in forest Russia, Moscow N 37.62E Birch Hyperphyscia Park in centre of city; most trees had no lichens at all Russia, 79 km out of city N E Birch Hypogymnia Forest nr motorway Russia, motorway 56.7 N E Birch Parmelia 3, Woodland nr motorway Russia N E Birch Hypogymnia Forest Russia N E Birch Xanthoria Nr motorway café Russia N 32.43E Birch Hypogymnia Forest nr motorway Russia, Veliky Novgorod N E Birch Parmelia 3, Xanthoria By River Volkov in city Russia, Veliky Novgorod N 31.8 E Birch Xanthoria 2, In centre of city Russia, 55 km from N E Birch Hypogymnia 2, In forest Veliky Novgorod Parmelia 3 Russia, nr St N E Birch Parmelia 3, By motorway Petersburg Xanthoria 2 Estonia, Johvi N E Birch Xanthoria 3, In centre of city Hyperphyscia 2 Estonia, Johvi N E Oak Physcia 1, In forest about 1 km from city centre Estonia, Gideon Camp N 27.25E Birch Evernia 3, Physcia On very old birch trees (>100 years) nr coast Estonia N E Birch Evernia Forest Estonia N E Birch Evernia 3, Hypogymnia Forest SSR March 2013, 94(348) 117

6 Agency ground reporting stations see Websites) and descriptions of the sites. Conclusion Figure 14 shows the relationship between the lichen at individual sites and the midpoint of the NO 2 range for that area. This relationship between lichen communities and atmospheric conditions has long been recognised (Barkman, 1969) and the changes in epiphytic lichen communities at sites affected by atmospheric pollution have been established in the UK (Wolseley et al., 2006). However, the study reported in this article is the first of its kind using nine key indicator lichens related to NO 2 emissions across Europe. A foldout chart that has been developed for Russian schools ( and Wolseley, 2010) could be used more widely outside Western Russia into Europe. The Pearson product-moment correlation is one measure of correlation that quantifies the strength as well as direction of such a relationship. In the study of relationships, two variables are said to be correlated if change in one variable is accompanied by change in the other, either in the same or reverse direction (see Websites). The correlation coefficient r was calculated to be 0.47, which indicates that there was a significant negative correlation between the lichen and median NO 2. (P = , n = 46 1 = 45). Thus, as NO 2 increases, the lichen appears to decrease. The results in Table 1 show that the highest lichen s across Europe, the Baltic States and into Western Russia are found in forests, locations away from motorways and towns, and close to the Baltic Sea. The two highest lichen s in this study were found on ancient oak trees inland in Lithuania by a lake and in a forest in Poland. High s were also found in forests in Lithuania and Estonia. Some of the lowest lichen s were found in the Netherlands and Germany, with some trees in Germany having no visible lichens at all. At Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve near the west coast of the Netherlands close to the North Sea, nitrogen-loving lichens were dominant. This may be due to the highly developed industrial sites near the reserve. Nitrogen-loving lichens tend to be far more plentiful along motorways, in cities and towns and near intensive farming areas. Western Russia had middle-to-low s in forests and low s in cities and along Figure 14 The relationship between the lichen at individual sites and the midpoint of the NO 2 range for that area motorways. The results of the Russian air quality survey method data have shown a high correlation with those of the air monitoring survey method data previously used in the Ryazan Oblast of Western Russia. The new survey method pioneered by school students from 60 schools in the Ryazan Oblast, now used in the Leningradskaya Oblast, clearly shows the reliability of this method not only for these regions but all over Western and Northern Russia, the Baltic countries and central Europe (, 2007), ( and Wolseley 2010). The method is quick and easy to use, requiring only the fold-out identification chart for lichens and a magnifying lens. Ecological studies is not a core subject in the Russian education curriculum Editor s comment This article shows how a science topic can be included in a long-distance charity activity. Seeking additional expertise, we consulted Mike Gould of Leeson House Field Studies Centre, Dorset, about the content. He comments: Perhaps some smaller scale examples like this project could be considered. Plotting an interrupted transect from town centre out across towards the countryside could be a possibility. We ve had groups visiting us who have collected similar data from Southampton, through the New Forest and onwards to Swanage. The excellent OPAL Air packs can be used to assist school groups. It has almost everything they need. 118 SSR March 2013, 94(348)

7 but these methods can form part of the core subjects of science and mathematics. Although this method has been devised for Russian schools, it could be used in schools in the UK in support of the National Curriculum for Science and Mathematics at key stages 2, 3 and 4 (ages 7 16). References Barkman, J. J. (1969) The influence of air pollution on bryophytes and lichens. In Air Pollution. Proceedings of the First European Congress on the Influence of Air Pollution on Plants and Animals. pp Wageningen: Centre for Agriculture Publishing and Documentation. Wolseley, P. A., James, P. W., Theobold, M. R. and Sutton, M. A. (2006) Detecting changes in epiphytic communities at sites affected by atmospheric ammonia from agricultural sources. The Lichenologist, 38(2), , S. W. (2007) Environmental Audit. Shilovo District. Monitoring Ryazan Oblast. Moscow., S. W. and Mustafin, D. (2011) Monitoring Air Quality with Schools Using Tree Lichens in the Ryazan Region. A Comparison of the Survey Data Published in 2007 and in Moscow: D. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia., S. W. and Wolseley, P. (2010) Monitoring Air Quality using Lichens on trees, Ryazan Oblast, Russia. Supported by D. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh., S. W., Wolseley, P. and Street, S. (2009) Key to Lichens on Trees, Ryazan Oblast. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh. Websites European Environment Agency Air quality statistics at reporting stations: air-quality-statistics-at-reporting-stations. European Space Agency Tropospheric Emission Monitoring Internet Service Tropospheric NO2 from satellites: OPAL air survey: Pearson product-moment correlation: Simon is a retired lecturer who has worked in Russian schools and orphanages for 12 years through the support of the Sustainability Department of the D. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia. sisuyoung45@yahoo.co.uk Now over 6500 teachers and their supporters talking physics. Join the community Search Share Learn SSR March 2013, 94(348) 119

3. Atmospheric Supply of Nitrogen to the Baltic Sea in 2010

3. Atmospheric Supply of Nitrogen to the Baltic Sea in 2010 Nitrogen emission data, as well as the model results presented here have been approved by the 36 th Session of the Steering Body of EMEP in Geneva