Mosses – indicators of nitrogen pollution.
by Chris, 29 September, 2012, 2 comments
Nitrogen pollution, in the form of nitrates, ammonia and various oxides of nitrogen, is a threat to ecosystems, ecosystem services and biodiversity. Monitoring and measuring such pollutants in rain and air borne particles is expensive and, ideally, needs frequent samples.
It has been estimated that some 400,000 tonnes of airborne pollution are deposited over Britain each year. Research by Dr H Harmens et al at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (Bangor) has indicated that there may be a simpler and cheaper way of gauging nitrogen pollution - through the assessment of the state of local moss populations. Read more...
