The bioindicator of pollution

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• By Yashkumar Surendra Vyas

Over the years, biological indicators play a vital role in environmental impact studies. The bioindicators help the environmentalists in studying the environments whether it be aquatic or terrestrial using all major taxonomic groups. The bioindicators could not only monitor the environment but also the ecological processes and biodiversity. Bioindicators in general include biological processes, species or communities but not all of them can serve as successful bioindicators. Successful bioindicator species have the tendency to indicate the environmental conditions because of their moderate tolerance towards environmental variability; they could effectively detect biotic responses to environmental stress. One of the best examples of environmental indicators is lichens. Lichens are a symbiosis found among fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria that is often used in air pollution assessment. Lichens serve as effective bioindicators of air quality because they have no roots and cuticle, and their nutrients acquirement is from direct exposure to the atmosphere. Their high surface area to volume ratio renders interception and accumulation of contaminants from the air. Their population in an area reveals the air quality; they are mostly found in tropical rainfall areas and terrestrial plains. They are sensitive to sulphur and nitrogenous compounds; therefore, the presence of these compounds in higher quantity in the atmosphere affect lichens growth. The absence of lichens in the areas where sulphur and nitrogenous compounds are high indicates that the environment is polluted. Thus, the tolerance range of lichens provides the impression of the levels of pollutants, no matter how small. They have the ability to indicate indirect biotic effects of pollutants too, which cannot be indicated efficiently by physical or chemical measurements. Because of this reason, ecologists consider biota as the best environmental predictors.

Keywords: Bioindicators, Lichens, Environmental pollution assessment, Sulphur, Nitrogenous compounds, Environmental predictors

Image source:
Image by Hans Braxmeier, available under Pixabay License at https://pixabay.com/photos/lichen-schuesselflechte-leaf-braid-100435/

Citation:
Yashkumar Surendra Vyas. The bioindicator of pollution. The Torch. 2021. 2 (11).
Available from: https://www.styvalley.com/pub/magazines/torch/read/the-bioindicator-of-pollution/.

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