Title

Mineral dynamics in Spanish moss, Tillandsia usneoides L. (Bromeliaceae), from Central Florida, USA

Authors

Authors

G. J. Husk; J. F. Weishampel;W. H. Schlesinger

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

Abbreviated Journal Title

Sci. Total Environ.

Keywords

aerosol; Central Florida; epiphyte; land use change; phorophyte; plant; nutrition; Spanish moss; TRACE-ELEMENTS; PRECIPITATION; CONSTITUENTS; DEPOSITION; QUALITY; MERCURY; METALS; PLANTS; SOILS; Environmental Sciences

Abstract

Epiphytes absorb water and nutrients from the atmosphere through precipitation and dry deposition and from their hosts through stemflow and throughfall. These commensals have been used as biological indicators or monitors of air quality. To measure temporal changes in Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) mineral concentrations, we revisited sites in Central Florida where this epiphyte was collected and analyzed in 1973/1974. After 24-25 years, using comparable methods, concentrations of Ca, Mg, K and Cu decreased in the tissue samples while Fe increased. These declines in base cations corresponded to global atmospheric decreases. In the earlier study, patterns of elemental concentrations in Spanish moss corresponded to the host tree categories primarily reflecting a P gradient that increased from pine (Pinus spp.) to cypress (Taxodium spp.) to hardwood (e.g. Quercus spp.) hosts. Such host-specific associations were mostly absent from the recent study, suggesting that epiphytic preferences based on the chemistry of phorophyte leachates have become less important in this region, perhaps, resulting from local (suburbanization) or regional (atmospheric composition) changes. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Journal Title

Science of the Total Environment

Volume

321

Issue/Number

1-3

Publication Date

1-1-2004

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

165

Last Page

172

WOS Identifier

WOS:000221173800012

ISSN

0048-9697

Share

COinS