Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 43 ( 1992 ) 213-221 213 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam Anomalous elemental composition of aquatic bryophytes near barite zones in the Sowie Mts. (Poland) A. Samecka-Cymerman a and A.J. Kempers b a Department of Ecology and Nature Protection, Institute of Botany, Wroclaw University, ul. Kanonia 6-8, 50-328 Wroclaw, Poland b Department of Aquatic Ecology and Biogeology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands (Received 4 July 1991; accepted after revision 24 October 1991 ABSTRACT Samecka-Cymerman, A. and Kempers, A.J., 1992. Anomalous elemental composition of aquatic bry- ophytes near barite zones in the Sowie Mts. (Poland). J. Geochem. Explor., 43:213-221. In a number of aquatic bryophytes the accumulation of Ba and associated elements originating from barite zones in the Sowie Mrs. in the Sudeten mountains in Poland was determined and up to (in/zg g-~ dry plant weight) 12500 AI, 3510 Ba, 30 Cd, 469 Co, 13 Cr, 67 Cu, 52580 Fe, 216000 Mn, 17 Mo, 660 Ni, 215 Pb, 105 V and 2830 Zn was found. As aquatic bryophytes concentrate elements and integrate temporal fluctuations in water chemistry it was possible to recognize in this investigation the mean distribution over a longer period of concentrations of metals near the detection limit in streams, corresponding with the distribution pattern of the mineralization zones in the investigated area, while the water data did not allow for such a reconnaissance. Compared to other elements, the concentrations of Ba, Co and Ni in the majority of the bryophytes downstream of the barite mineral- ization zones were significantly higher (0.001 ~< P ~< 0.05) in comparison with the corresponding concentrations in bryophytes upstream of these zones. INTRODUCTION The Sowie (Owl) Mrs. represent the southwestern part of a larger geologi- cal unit situated centrally in the Sudeten Mts. These mountains consist of a crystalline Proterozoic massif which is considered to be the oldest unit in the geological structure of Lower Silesia. The Sowie Mts. are composed mostly of gneisses and migmatites with subordinate amounts of amphibolites, serpen- tinites and granulites distinguishing this unit from others in the Sudeten with often different mineralogical composition. During the later stage of its geolog- Correspondence to: A. Samecka-Cymerman, Department of Ecology and Nature Protection, Institute of Botany, Wroclaw University, ul. Kanonia 6-8, 50-238 Wroclaw, Poland. 0375-6742/92/$05.00 © 1992 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. All rights reserved.