2000 Elemental Analyses of Lichens in three Arkansas and Missouri Wilderness Areas: Final report

Abstract

In the final report of the first study of the lichens and air quality in the Hercules Glades Wilderness of the Mark Twain National Forest (Wetmore, 1992a) it was recommended that a re-study of the elemental analysis of lichens be done every five years. The present report is on the restudy done in 2000. This report also includes comparison with new collections from Caney Creek Wilderness of the Ouachita National Forest and Upper Buffalo River Wilderness of the Ozark National Forest.

In the present study lichens were collected during May, 2000 at the same localities as the previous studies in Hercules Glades by the second author. The methods used were the same as in the previous studies.

The increases at Hercules Glades appear to be occurring in the eastern part of the wilderness near Hercules Lookout Tower and Long Creek. Nutritional elements have decreased concurrently in the same part of the wilderness compared to the western part.

Elemental analysis values for Caney Creek and Upper Buffalo River were comparable to other areas studied and seem to be in the normal range for clean areas.

It is also recommended that further studies be done in Hercules Glades to discover the causes for the increases in elemental levels since the original study.