Epiphytes as a Sustainable Biomonitoring Tool for Environmental Pollutants

Global environmental concerns are exacerbated by pollutants, spanning heavy metals to organic compounds, posing threats to ecosystems and human health. Conventional pollution monitoring techniques often entail resource-intensive processes. Epiphytic plants, exemplified by lichens, mosses, and ferns, emerge as sustainable biomonitoring tools for evaluating environmental pollutants. This vegetation possesses unique attributes conducive to monitoring air quality and pollution deposition. This chapter investigates the aptness of epiphytic plants as biomonitoring instruments for environmental pollutants. Mechanisms underpinning pollutant accumulation and response in epiphytes, focusing on their capacity to capture atmospheric and deposited contaminants over time, are examined. Furthermore, the benefits of employing epiphytic plants, including their widespread distribution, sampling ease, and cost efficiency in contrast to traditional methods, are emphasised. Recent advancements in analytical techniques, encompassing elemental and molecular analysis, enabling precise quantification of pollutant concentrations in epiphytic tissues, are discussed. Case studies from diverse global ecosystems are explored, illustrating the utility of epiphytic plants in evaluating pollutant presence and trends, spanning heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and nitrogen compounds. The role of epiphytic plants as indicators of long-term environmental shifts and their potential in monitoring pollution mitigation strategies are addressed. Challenges and limitations, encompassing species-specific responses and standardised protocols, are also considered. Epiphytic plants provide a sustainable and effective avenue for environmental pollutant biomonitoring, contributing significantly to ongoing endeavours to assess and mitigate pollution’s impact on ecosystems and human well-being. This book chapter underscores the imperative integration of epiphytic plants into environmental monitoring programs. It encourages further research to refine their applications in a dynamic world of multifaceted pollution challenges.