Lichens on Road Bridges Located in Urban, Rural and Coastal Environments of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Title: Lichens on Road Bridges Located in Urban, Rural and Coastal Environments of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
Author(s): V. G. Rosato, P. Traversa
Paper category : conference
Book title: Second International RILEM Workshop on Microbial Impact on Building Materials
Editor(s): M. Ribas Silva
Print-ISBN: None
e-ISBN: 2912143845
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2004
Pages: 11 - 18
Total Pages: 8
Nb references: 6
Language: English

Abstract: Lichens were found growing on road bridges from different environments of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The aim of this paper is to identify them, and assess the damage they may produce.
Lichens were collected by scraping them, observed under stereomicroscope and optical microscope and identified with keys.
The bridges sampled are placed in different environments: urban, rural and coastal (La Plata River coast and the Atlantic coast).
The most abundant and widespread were Caloplaca citrina, Lecanora albescens and Lecania erysibe. Other species were found only in the coastal zone or in the central zone.
It was noted that the diversity of materials allows a greater diversity of lichens.
On the contrary, Palazzo Bridge in La Plata only had algae growing on it, probably because it is in
a shaded place under the trees.
Gerardi Bridge (Gonnet, La Plata District) has also a poor lichen flora. This is attributed to the pollution caused by the dense traffic.
The presence of lichens, particularly C. citrina and L. albescens is a problem for the appearance of the bridges. These species damage the surface of the substrate by mechanical penetration of hyphae (fungal filaments) into the substratum and the production of oxalic acid.

Online publication: 2004-06-25
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00