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Air Pollution Science Fair Project

Lichens as Acid Rain Detectors

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Lichens as Acid Rain Detectors | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Can lichens tell you whether an area has acid rain? Three types of lichen each respond differently to acidic conditions. That difference makes them useful as bioindicators (living pollution sensors). You place three types of lichen in separate sealed jars. Half get misted daily with plain water. The other half get a vinegar-water mix that acts like acid rain. Over ten days you observe color changes and growth. The water-fed lichens grow and turn bright colors. The acid-fed fruticose and foliose samples shrink and turn brittle. Crustose lichens survive the acid surprisingly well.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that acid rain will have a negative effect on lichens.

Method & Materials

You will order two sets of lichens, place each sample into its own glass jar, and mist them with either water or an acid solution. You will then observe the lichens and record your observations.
You will need two sets of lichens, two spray bottles, Dannon bottled water, vinegar, Saran wrap, and a rubber band.

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Results

The results of this experiment showed that the lichens exposed to the acidic solution did not mature nearly as well as the control lichens. The fruticose and foliose lichens exposed to the acid solution grew flat and short, while the crustose lichens grew well in comparison.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it shows how lichens can be used as bioindicators to measure the health of an environment.

Also Consider

Variations of this experiment could include testing different concentrations of acid solution or testing different types of lichens.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
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