Challenge: Prove to me that

you can show a difference in air

quality by the amount of
lichens present.

Parameters
*Set up a rectangular sample area horizontally from the factory’s
edge of the forest towards the middle.
*25ft x 15ft
*Use you previous research lessons to identify the trees and lichens
1/2
 Do Now

• What’s your hypothesis?

– Will there be more lichens near the factory
or away from it?

– Are lichens a good bio-indicator of air

quality?

* With your group, develop a protocol for

how you will measure the tree species and
lichens in your sample area.
How can air pollution How can we share our
affect the lichen’s finds with the
physiology structure? community?

Are different species of What other areas around our

lichens more prone to air school could affect the
pollution? lichen’s population, how can
we test this?
 Essence
Air pollution greatly affects all living beings on Earth.
Lichens is one bio-indicator that we can monitor that
shows visually and quantitatively of a species being
affected by the air quality in many diverse
environments.
Materials (per group of 4): Hints
* Lichen identification guidebook
*Tree identification guidebook
*DBH tape 1) Are there more lichens present
*Measurement Tape
*4 Flags
closer to the factory or away?
*Clipboard with data sheet
*Ruler 2) How can we tell if the lichen is
*Camera
healthy or not?
Materials (whole class 20): 3) What other environmental
*5 books of each lichen + tree identification guides
*5 DBH tapes factors could be influencing
*5measurement tapes
*20 flags
the growth of lichens?
*5 clipboards
*5 rulers
*5 cameras or phone pictures would work too 2/2
 Sample Data sheet
How far from starting > 5ft > 10ft > 15ft
point (ft)
Tree species/DBH

Lichen
identification/cm

Photo #
Other Notes

**Starting point is from the factory’s forest edge

inward to the middle of the forest horizontally.