Relationship Between Atmospheric Ammonia Concentration and Nitrogen Content in Terricolous Lichen (Cladonia portentosa)

Abstract

From April 2006 to April 2007, the geo- graphical and seasonal variation in nitrogen content in terricolouslichen(Cladoniaportentosa)andatmospher- ic ammonia concentrations were measuredat fiveheath- land sites. The seasonal variation in the nitrogen content of the lichen was small, even though there was a large seasonal variation in the air concentration of ammonia. A sizable local variation in the nitrogen content of the lichen was found even at the scale of a few kilometres. The nitrogen content in the lichen showed a high corre- lation to the yearly mean value of the measured ammo- nia concentration in air at the different locations. This investigation is part of a larger attempt to incorporate effects of nitrogen in the conservation status of terres- trial habitat types.