Lichens and mosses as biomonitors

A national survey was perfonned in 2001 in Slovenia in which two different biomonitors, namely an epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes and the terrestrial mosses Hypnum cupressiforme and/or Pleurozium schreberi were collected at the same sampling locations all over the country and analysed for trace elements. The main aim was to find out if the both kinds of biomonitors give similar estimates of trace element air pollution. The preliminary results for some selected elements As, Cd, Cr, Hg, La, Sb, Sc, U and Zn showed significantly higher mean value of anthropogenic or atmophile elements (As, Cd, Hg and Zn) in lichens and only slightly higher lithophile or soil derived elements (Cr, La, Sc and U) in mosses