Retrospective Study (1944-1976) of Heavy Metals in the Epiphyte Pterogonium gracile Collected from One Phorophyte

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Abstract
The contents of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were determined in epiphytic P. gracile (Hedw.) Sm. collected from 10 different yr during the period of 1944-1976 from the same phorophyte in a rural background area in Denmark. A significant increase was observed in the content of Pb, V and Zn, 155%, 5 and 28%, respectively, and the periods of time required to double the 1944 level were 20, 60 and 110 yr, respectively. Increasing trends in content were found for Cu, Cr and Ni, whereas Cd showed no such tendency. The contents of Fe and Mn showed decreasing tendency during the period in question, but this can be ascribed to local conditions. The ratios between the content of the various heavy metals in bryophyte tissue and in bulk precipitation were approximately identical for all metals examined. No effect of the different bonding affinity to bryophyte tissue for the different elements was observed.