scope:

 The scope of the method described here lies in the estimation of biological effects of eutrophicating immissions on the basis of nitrogen accumulation in the foliose lichenParmelia sulcata. The standard is thus limited to areas with occurrence of vital epiphytic specimens of this lichen which is among the most common foliose epiphytic lichens in Central Europe.

The standard may be employed for example for the following objectives:

• spatially differentiated detection of biological effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in urban or rural areas (e.g. at clues to exceedance of limit values according to the 39th German Federal Immission Control Ordinance (BImSchV) or Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control (TA Luft))

• verification of effects of nitrogenous immissions in the environment of animal husbandry, power stations, etc.

• review of the effectiveness of measures taken to reduce the emission of biologically active nitrogen compounds

• documentation of the actual situation (e.g. in the context of licensing procedures as the assessment of cases according to the TA Luft no. 4.8)

In case that no suitable trees with Parmelia sulcataare present in the study area, the implementation of active monitoring with the mosses Scleropodium purum orPleurozium schreberi according to standard VDI 3957 Part 19 is recommended.