Bryophytes as a bioindicator for atmospheric deposition in different coastal habitats (a case study in the Russian sector of the Curonian Spit, South-Eastern Baltic)

Atmospheric deposition of trace elements, including iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel, zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr), rubidium (Rb), bromine (Br), and calcium (Ca), varies significantly in moss across different coastal habitats of the Russian sector of the Curonian Spit. This variation is influenced by wind transport, marine aerosols, and leaching from plant residues, as revealed through correlation and principal component analysis. The study highlights bryophytes' potential as bioindicators for environmental monitoring, with contamination factors calculated to assess elemental accumulation. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry was used to analyze moss samples, providing insights into the complex interactions between natural and anthropogenic factors in coastal ecosystems.

Koroleva, Y., Napreenko, M., Baymuratov, R., & Schefer, R. (2019). Bryophytes as a bioindicator for atmospheric deposition in different coastal habitats (a case study in the Russian sector of the Curonian Spit, South-Eastern Baltic). International Journal of Environmental Studies, 77(1), 152–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207233.2019.1594301