Abstract :

Lichens have widely been used as bioindicators to reflect the quality of the environment. Thepresent study was conducted to investigate the lichens diversity that grows on the surface of wasteheaps from an abandoned old copper mine in Mlynky, Slovakia. In spite of the heavy metalcontaminatedenvironment, we documented twenty species of lichens in the selected site.Taxonomically the most numerous group were represented by Cladonia with seven species, aswell other species; namely, Acarospora fuscata, Cetraria islandica, Dermatocarpon miniatum,Hypogymnia physodes, Hypogymnia tubulosa, Lecanora subaurea, Lepraria incana, Physciaaipolia, Porpidia macrocarpa, Pseudevernia furfuracea, Rhizocarpon geographicum andXanthoria parietina. The content of selected heavy metals (Cu, Fe, and Zn) in the predominantlichens Cetraria islandica, Cladonia digitata, Cladonia pyxidata, Hypogymnia physodes andPseudevernia furfuracea were analyzed. The highest content of Cu, Fe, and Zn was found inCladonia pyxidata collected from mine-spoil heaps with concentration 46 ± 4.4, 82.5 ± 22.6, 4.8 ±1.6 mg/kg, respectively. Interestingly, Cladonia pyxidata collected from the forest surrounding thelocation showed 15 times lower concentration for Cu. Additionally, similar results were found forFe and Zn.