Long-term monitoring of atmospheric pollution in the Maritime Antarctic with the lichen Usnea aurantiaco-atra (Jacq.) Bory: a magnetic and elemental study

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Carvallo, Claire, Godoy, Nathaly, Aguilar Reyes, Bertha, Egas, Claudia, Fuentealba, Raul, Préndez, Margarita
• Other Authors: Sorbonne université - Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie (SU FSI), Sorbonne Université (SU), Institut de minéralogie, de physique des matériaux et de cosmochimie (IMPMC), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de recherche pour le développement IRD : UR206-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), IMPMC_Minéralogie et magnétisme de basses dimensionnalités (IMPMC_MIMABADI), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de recherche pour le développement IRD : UR206-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de recherche pour le développement IRD : UR206-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universidad de Chile = University of Chile Santiago (UCHILE), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México = National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Universidad de Talca
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2021
• Subjects: environmental magnetism; biomonitoring; anthropogenic particulate matter; elemental composition; Fildes Peninsula; King George Island; [SDE.IE]Environmental Sciences/Environmental Engineering; Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Bory; Fildes; Fildes peninsula; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03618960; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03618960/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03618960/file/Carvallo_et_al_final.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102021000419

International audience Antarctica is a natural research laboratory thanks to its unique climate, geography, flora and fauna. The conservation of Antarctica's environment is monitored through the Madrid Protocol; however, there are local pollution problems associated with human activities such as research and tourism; in particular, there are negative impacts on air quality from the use of fossil fuels. In this work, we studied for the first time the magnetic and elemental characteristics of the lichen Usnea aurantiaco-atra (Jacq.) Bory collected during different years and from various sites in King George Island, Antarctic Peninsula, as well as some samples of its supporting substrate, for long-term monitoring of atmospheric pollution. Several anthropogenic elements (Ni, Pb, Mo, Cd and Zn) have been identified on sites close to human activities, but also on sites far from them. We found that magnetic proxies from U. aurantiaco-atra samples show a spatial correlation with human influence (scientific bases or airstrips). We observed a correlation between magnetic parameters and Ni and, to a lesser extent, with Cr, Co, V and Ag. The results suggest that by using these magnetic and elemental techniques it is possible to implement monitoring with the lichen U. aurantiaco-atra as a bioindicator for some elements of anthropogenic origin