Asher, Cameron2017-08-152017-08-152014http://hdl.handle.net/10092/13858Lichen and moss are excellent biomonitors of atmospheric heavy metal pollution as they are geographically diverse, have no waxy cuticles to control intake of nutrients/metals, can accumulate pollutants to levels that far exceed their need without dying, and make up the dominant portion of terrestrial flora in ice free areas of Antarctica. Studies on this subject are generally restricted to areas of highest anthropogenic activity around King George Island at the Antarctic Peninsula, although determining the 'baseline' concentrations of heavy metals in mosses and lichens far away from human activity is essential to understanding the continued impact we have on the environment. Generally, heavy metal concentrations increase as distance to nearest research station decrease, due in part to the large dependence on fossil fuel combustion for transportation and electricity, but also due to the fact that stations are clustered near the coast and on ice free ground, allowing for influence from marine and substrate derived heavy metals. Values obtained from these or any studies are not directly comparable without first establishing the appropriate correlation factor between the species used, as each species accumulates heavy metals to a varying degree, dependant on thallus volume proportions, surface roughness and morphology.enAll Rights ReservedTheses / Dissertations