We studied the reflectance spectra of lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea Zopf. Pseudevernia furfuracea Zopf. belongs to the family of bush lichens, which characteristically can be more affected by polluted air, when compared to other types of lichens. Because it does not have a real epidermis, it passively absorbs pollutants as well as nutrients through its entire outer surface. We measured dry and moistened lichen, from which some were exposed to pollution and some were not. We measured the reflectance spectra of lichen in the range of 280 to 800 nm, and the potential photochemical efficiency. We wanted to explore changes in the reflectance spectra and the possible connection to the photochemical efficiency, which is an indicator for the vitality of the lichen. We were also interested in, whether the reflectance spectra of lichen vary from lichens that thrive in different environmental conditions. The results show that lichens have a lower reflectance by the UV and a higher reflectance in the NIR range, which is probably a consequence of anatomical and morphological characteristics. Differences in reflectance were observed in the visible region of the spectrum, which can be attributed to the variability of the pigments and fungal components in the lichen, which is responsible for the pigment coloration and secondary metabolic processes. Photochemical efficiency measurements have shown that the moistened lichen, which were exposed to air pollution, have a lower photochemical efficiency.
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