Evaluation of air quality through the Atmospheric Purity Index using epiphytic lichens

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the air quality according to the Atmospheric Purity Index by sampling epiphytic lichens in the main green areas of the city of Huancavelica, identified in 12 areas, based on the identification of lichen diversity; Being considered an applied research of a descriptive level with a quantitative research method, likewise the research design is non-experimental, descriptive cross-sectional type and the type of intentional non-probabilistic sampling was used, using the Shannon-Wiener method to determine diversity. of lichens. The result of air quality according to the Atmospheric Purity Index is that the values are in the medium to maximum pollution ranges. The epiphytic lichen species identified in the lichens were the following: Physconia Distorta, Candelariella Xanthostigma, Parmelia Subrudecta, Lepraria Incana, Chrysothrix Candelaris, Physcia Stellaris, Pinastri . Likewise, lower values in the range of 1.1 – 1.9 were obtained in the Shannon-Wiener Index, concluding that the sampling areas have low to medium diversity of lichens. Finally, the Atmospheric Purity Index was determined, showing that zones Z2, Z3 and Z9 express maximum contamination with values between the range of 0-3, and zones: Z1, Z8 and Z10 identified as a transition zone with values of 78. -114.