Lichen Indicators of Ecosystem Health in Nova Scotia’s Protected Areas

Air pollution and climate change are threats to maintaining ecological health of protected areas. Protected Area managers require a meaningful way to measure impacts of these threats. Lichens provide a relevant, sensitive and measurable indicator for long-term monitoring. Hundreds of studies have linked lichen communities to air quality, and several long-term lichen monitoring programs in Europe and the US are using lichens to assess climate change. Other studies have shown strong correlations of lichen abundance to ecosystem biodiversity and productivity. Analyses of existing lichen survey data suggest sensitivity of Nova Scotia lichens to air quality. The Protected Areas Branch (PAB) of the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour will establish a province wide network of lichen monitoring plots within protected areas involving partners from industry, government and academia. Objectives of the project are to provide long-term monitoring in forests of: 1. air quality impacts on ecosystems; 2. climate change impacts on ecosystems; 3. elements of forest ecosystem productivity; and 4. elements of biodiversity in forest ecosystems