Fungi can also be used as indicator species e.g.

Black spot is a fungal disease that affects roses. It develops as black spots on rose leaves, which eventually causes the leaves to turn yellow and drop off. Apart from looking unsightly, it can seriously weaken the rose plant.

The blackspot fungus on rose leaves is very sensitive to sulfur dioxide. If sulfur dioxide is present in the air, the blackspot fungus will not thrive. It seems ironic that the presence of an unwanted and unsightly blackspot fungus on rose leaves actually indicates the presence of 'clean air'!

You might see how much lichen you see on stone walls in a busy urban area with lots of pollution from traffic, compared to a rural location well away from busy roads.

You should find more lichen, the further you are away from busy roads, that is the further away from sources of polluting acidic gases like nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide from road vehicle exhausts!

 

Water pollution

The most common sources of water pollution are rain run-off washing nitrates from fertilisers into streams and rivers (excess nutrients), and the discharge of raw sewage (which contains pathogens).

Both sources of pollution facilitate the 'overgrowth' of particular microorganisms that use up oxygen affecting many species in food chains - this reduces the concentration of oxygen in water.

Invertebrate animals like freshwater shrimps and stonefly larvae are very sensitive to the concentration of oxygen in their aquatic habitat.

If these two species are found in a stream or river it indicates a relatively high level of oxygen and a low level of pollutants, like those mentioned above - in other words the water is 'clean'.

However, conversely, other invertebrates have adapted to live in polluted water e.g. blood worms (bloodworms) and sludge worms (sludgeworms) - what lovely names! - would Linnaeus approve!

If these two indicator species are present in water, it indicates a high level of pollution.

 

Soil and woodland conditions

Moss, for example, can indicate high levels of acidity in the soil, which in turn may indicate acid rain.  Fungi are useful for measuring health of old-growth forests. The diversity of wood-decay eating fungi correlates to the diversity of insects in a shared habitat.

 

Methods of surveying-monitoring pollution - measuring abiotic factors

(This section is repeated in the ecosystems notes)

Abiotic conditions means the 'non-living' factors like temperature, water/soil pH, soil nutrients, moisture level, light intensity, climate conditions - again, all of these affect the distribution of organisms.

Measurement of abiotic factors may help to explain differences in the populations and distributions of organisms.

As described above, you can survey and compare one location with another, looking particularly for indicator species of plants or animals.

You might survey the length of a stream or a stretch of a river, sampling-surveying at regular intervals, looking at what species are present or not present - relatively quick and easy to do.

This might help to trace the source of pollution in a polluted stream or river.

However, surveys based on 'present/not-present' do not tell you how polluted the specific environment is.

To get quantitative data you would need to count the numbers of each indicator species present in a measured area or volume of water - this set of numerical data takes longer and more costly to do, but gives a better estimate of pollution levels.

But, even doing species counts does still not give you very accurate data on levels of pollution, but using modern analytical instrumental methods. These non-living indicators and allow rapid and regular checks to be carried out to monitor pollution levels and see how they change with time and location.

You can analyse air or water samples for traces of polluting chemicals even if their concentrations are only in ppm with electronic sampling devices.

You can monitor ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide in the polluted air of towns and cities with an air quality meter.

You can analyse for traces of toxic organic chemicals or heavy metal compounds in water.

Electronic pH meters tell how acidic or alkaline a water system is - choosing different locations along a stretch of stream or river.

You can use a simple visual indicator strip to measure the pH of soil.

It uses a sort of universal indicator where match the colour strip turns in a soil/water mixture and match the colour it turns to a pH chart.

You can also dip the electronic pH probe into a soil/water mixture - a more accurate measurement.

Another electronic probe instrument can directly measure the oxygen concentration in water - just dip in and press the button! - again, choosing different locations along a stretch of stream or river to broaden the survey.

You can use an electronic thermometer probe to measure the temperature of land or water - again, choosing different locations along a transect to broaden the survey.

You can employ a light meter sensor to measure light intensity in different locations e.g. comparing open and shaded areas of a habitat.

You can use a soil moisture meter to measure the relative water content of soil.

You can compare the results of measuring abiotic factors with the distribution of selected organisms to look for similarities or differences.

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Key points - Summary of ideas

Based on the syllabus-specifications for students taking the AQA, Edexcel and OCR GCSE level biology examinations (~US grades 9-10).

Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms in an ecosystem, including species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecosystem diversity. It is crucial for maintaining ecological stability and resilience.

Environmental Checks and Monitoring

Environmental checks involve assessing the health of ecosystems by examining living and non-living components.

Monitoring helps track changes over time, allowing scientists to identify environmental issues, such as pollution or habitat destruction.

Methods of Environmental Monitoring:

• Field Surveys – Observing species presence and abundance.

• Quadrats and Transects – Sampling methods for measuring species distribution.

• Water Quality Tests – Measuring pH, oxygen levels, pollutants.

• Air Quality Tests – Monitoring pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

• Soil Testing – Measuring nutrient levels and contaminants.

Analysis & Data Collection

Data collected during environmental monitoring is analyzed to detect trends and determine ecosystem health. Key processes include:

• Statistical Analysis – Identifying patterns in species distribution and population changes.

• Bioindicators – Studying indicator species to assess environmental quality.

• Comparative Studies – Comparing ecosystem changes over time.

Biodiversity Indicator Species

Indicator species provide insights into environmental health. Their presence, absence, or abundance reflects changes in conditions.

Examples:

• Lichens – Sensitive to air pollution; a decline indicates high pollution levels.

• Mayflies – Found in clean freshwater; their absence suggests water pollution.

• Frogs & Amphibians – Sensitive to water quality due to their permeable skin.

• Coral – Indicates ocean temperature changes and acidity levels.

What Biodiversity Indicator Species Tell Us

• Declining indicator species – Suggests pollution, habitat loss, or climate change effects.

• Increasing populations – Indicates improved environmental conditions or reduced pollution.

• Species migration – Can signal climate changes affecting temperature and habitat suitability.

Influence of Abiotic Factors

Abiotic factors are non-living elements that influence ecosystems and biodiversity. Key factors include:

• Temperature – Affects metabolic rates and species distribution.

• Water Availability – Essential for organism survival, impacts species richness.

• Light Intensity – Influences photosynthesis rates in plants.

• Soil Composition – Determines plant growth and nutrient availability.

• pH Levels – Impacts aquatic and soil ecosystems.

• Oxygen Levels – Essential for respiration in aquatic species.

Exam Tips

• Use real-life examples of biodiversity indicator species in your answers.

• Explain how specific abiotic factors influence ecosystems.

• Apply graphs and statistics in data analysis questions.

• Remember to link biodiversity to ecosystem stability and sustainability.

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Summary of learning objectives and key words or phrases

Be able to describe how we can monitor environmental conditions.

Use of pollution indicators e.g. the presence and concentration of lichen, fungi, animal species, measuring oxygen concentration in lakes and rivers, relative acidity of water (pH)

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