Using moss and lichens in biomonitoring of heavy-metal contamination of forest areas in southern and north-eastern Poland Andrzej Kłos a, ⁎, Zbigniew Ziembik a , Małgorzata Rajfur a , Agnieszka Dołhańczuk-Śródka a , Zbigniew Bochenek b , Jarle W. Bjerke c , Hans Tømmervik c , Bogdan Zagajewski d , Dariusz Ziółkowski b , Dominik Jerz a , Maria Zielińska a , Paweł Krems a , Piotr Godyń a , Michał Marciniak a , PawełŚwisłowski a a Independent Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Opole University, kard. B. Kominka 6, 45-032 Opole, Poland b Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Z. Modzelewskiego 27, 02-679 Warszawa, Poland c Norwegian Institute for Nature Research – NINA, FRAM – High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, PO Box 6606 Langnes, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway d Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, Department of Geoinformatics, Cartography and Remote Sensing, University of Warsaw, Krakowskie Przedmieście 30, 00-927 Warszawa, Poland HIGHLIGHTS • Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb content in moss and lichens samples collected in Poland • Periodical sample collection during 3 years • Seasonal changes in metal concentra- tions in moss and lichens • An increase in cadmium concentration at the beginning of the growing season GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT abstract article info Article history: Received 24 July 2017 Received in revised form 20 January 2018 Accepted 20 January 2018 Available online xxxx Editor: Charlotte Poschenrieder In the years 2014–2016 biomonitoring studies were conducted in the forest areas of south and north-eastern Poland: the Karkonosze Mountains, the Beskidy Mountains, the Borecka Forest, the Knyszyńska Forest and the Białowieska Forest. This study used epigeic moss Pleurozium schreberi and epiphytic lichens Hypogymnia physodes. Samples were collected in spring, summer and autumn. Approximately 500 samples of moss and li- chens were collected for the study. In the samples, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb concentrations were determined. Based on the obtained results, the studied areas were ranked by extent of heavy-metal deposition: Beskidy N Karkonosze Mountains N forests of north-eastern Poland. Some seasonal changes in concentrations of metals ac- cumulated in moss and lichens were also indicated. There was observed, i.a., an increase in Cd concentration at the beginning of the growing season, which may be related to low emissions during the heating season. Analysis of the surface distribution of deposition of metals in the studied areas showed a significant contribution of nearby territorial emissions and unidentified local emission sources. The contribution of distant emission to Zn, Hg and Pb deposition levels in the Karkonosze and Beskidy region was also indicated. © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Biomonitoring Forests Moss Lichens Heavy metals Science of the Total Environment 627 (2018) 438–449 ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: aklos@uni.opole.pl (A. Kłos), ziembik@uni.opole.pl (Z. Ziembik), mrajfur@o2.pl (M. Rajfur), agna@uni.opole.pl (A. Dołhańczuk-Śródka), zbigniew.bochenek@igik.edu.pl (Z. Bochenek), jarle.bjerke@nina.no (J.W. Bjerke), hans.tommervik@nina.no (H. Tømmervik), bogdan@uw.edu.pl (B. Zagajewski), dariusz.ziolkowski@igik.edu.pl (D. Ziółkowski). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.211 0048-9697/© 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Science of the Total Environment journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/scitotenv