Biomonitoring of air borne metal pollution

Mosses, lichens and vascular plants may be used for monitoring airborne pollution, e.g. wet and dry deposition of metals in polluted areas. Best results are achieved when using transplantation methods including exposure for a certain period of time. Spreading of metals around point sources can be followed with great accuracy. Often at least semi quantitative estimates of deposition can be made. Biomonitoring methods are cheap and efficient but relations to results achieved by technical methods should be evaluated in more detail.