Mythbusters: Unravelling the pollutant uptake processes in mosses for air quality biomonitoring

Terrestrial mosses have been used for more than 50 years to monitor air pollution. We argue, however, that their value as biomonitors is based on two widespread but partially erroneous assumptions concerning morphological structure (the structural myth) and physicochemical characteristics myth). The myth consists of the oversimplification moss structure. recognizes high cation exchange capacity (CEC) only pathway pollutant uptake. Here, we gather discuss evidence demonstrating these are misleading focus discussion aspects make good First, show plants (i) do a cuticle, whose composition differs among species, (ii) can epidermal cells, differ in shape thickness from other cell types, (iii) vascular system, degree development lineage- species-specific, (iv) rhizoids, absorb water, nutrients pollutants. effect traits uptake processes has understudied biomonitoring studies. Second, not concentrate much pollutants they could according CEC, retain large amounts particles containing atmospheric surfaces, many contexts, spatial concentrations depicts pattern expected atmospherically deposited particles. Thus, quality organisms pollution also lies call research how physiological affect dynamics recommend researchers using face critically inaccurate or insufficiently demonstrated this context.