Abstract
A method using Index of Atmospheric Purity (TAP), proposed by LeBlanc and DeSloover, is one of the phytosociological method based on the distributions of epiphytic bryophytes and/or lichens to evaluate the atmospheric purity. In the present paper, a new method using Evaluation Index of Air Quality (EIAQ) which seemed useful as well as TAP method was investigated. EIAQ values were calculated from the sensitivity of species for air pollution based on the literature and the author's observation, and the degree of species number and coverage on the basis of the data of epiphytic bryophyte vegetation at 248 sites in Hyogo Prefecture. EIAQ values were divided into five evaluation zones including epiphyte desert. Their zones of 0, I, II, III and IV are highly disturbed zone (epiphyte desert), disturbed zone, lightly disturbed zone, quasi-normal zone and normal zone, respectively. The new proposed method was applied to mapping of environmental aspect in Hyogo Prefecture. And it was considered that EIAQ method was useful one for evaluation of environmental condition from the result that EIAQ values decreased around urban and industrialized regions and the relation between changes in EIAQ values and changes in concentration of some air pollutants during about 10 years in the Higashi-Harima region.
