Lichens as Biomonitors: Global, Regional and Local Aspects*

Lichens, a symbiosis of fungi and algae, have been widely used for biological monitoring of environmental quality. As some lichen species are virtually cosmopolitan organisms, they may be used for a survey of organic, inorganic, or radioactive contaminants on more or less a global scale, as well as for regional comparisons, and certainly at a more local scale. Some examples will be given for the use of different lichen species (Usnea ssp., Lecanora muralis, Pseudevernia furfuracea and Xanthoria parietina) in biological monitoring of trace elements in various contexts.