Peculiarities of chemical elements accumulation by epiphytic mossPylaisia polyantha(Hedw.) B.S.G. in varying natural environments of West Siberia

This study explores the influence of natural environment on the content of chemical elements in the epiphytic moss Pylaisia polyantha, picked from six areas remote from industrial centres in Siberia. The neutron activation analysis determined concentrations of 25 chemical elements (mostly heavy metals). According to correlation analysis, none of the climatic variables (i.e. temperature, precipitation and airflow direction) is separately significant for the accumulation of the examined chemical elements by the moss. The concentrations of chemical elements in mosses picked in different plant subzones or belts definitely vary. This means that the environment characteristic of plant subzones or belts and phytocenosis types influence the accumulation of chemical elements in the moss. The sample selection area belongs to a certain plant subzone or belt and this reflects the overall influence of climatic and other ecological factors. However, phytocenosis properties (i.e. stand thickness, canopy density degree, etc.) impact the concentration of chemical elements in the epiphytic moss primarily due to the sunshade effect.