Indicator plant
Since a plant species or plant community acts as a measure of environmental conditions, it is referred to as biological indicators, bioindicators or phytoindicators. Plants which indicate some specific conditions of environment are called plant indicators.
Forest serve as good indicators of land productivity. For example- vegetative growth of trees like Quercus. marilandica, Q. stellata are comparatively poor on lowland or sterile sandy soil than the normal soil in which they grow under conditions.
Evergreen forests indicate high rainfall in winter as well as summer; Sclerphyllous vegetation indicate heavy rainfall in winter and low during summer; Grassland indicate heavy rains during summer and low during winter; Xerophytic vegetation indicate a very low or no rainfall in the year.
Luxuriant (abundant) growth of some taller and deeply rooted legumes like Psoralea indicates a sandy loam type of soil, whereas the presence of grasses Andropogon indicates sandy soil. Rumex acetosella indicates an acid grassland soil, whereas Spermacoce stricta the iron rich soil in the area. Shorea robusta, Cassia obtusifolia, Geranium sp. and Impatiens sp. indicate proper aeration of soil.
Some plants as Agrostis, Eupilobium, Pium, Populus, Pteris, and Pyronema dominate in areas destroyed by fires. Particular species of Pteridium indicate burnt and highly disturbed coniferous forests. Hence plants are useful indicators
Plants like Utricularia, Chara, and Wolffia grow in polluted waters. Bacteria like E. coli also indicate water pollution. The presence of diatoms in water indicates pollution by sewage.
Dead lichen thalii are capable of absorbing F, heavy metals including SO2 and Pb. Lichens are also utilized for survey of long life nuclides (a distinct kind of atom or nucleus characterized by a specific number of protons and neutrons) like strontium (90Sr) and cesium (137Cs) released from nuclear explosions.
Lichens can thus be used as reliable biological indicators of pollution. Lecanora conizaeoides is the most tolerant of all lichens to SO2, and it therefore grows in cities also. Lichens are therefore used as pollution monitors.
Many plants indicate the presence of characteristics minerals in the soils, theses plant are called metallocoles/metallophytes.
Gold- Equisetum arvense;
Diamond- Vallozia candida;
Silver-Eriogonium ovalifolium;
Much useful knowledge can be obtained about our land by observation of the wild plants and cover crops that are growing, and their condition. These include indicating fertility levels and potential nutrient deficiencies, waterlogging or compaction problems, pH levels and so on. When assessing land by observation of indicator species however it is good practice to observe plant communities or consistent populations of indicator species rather than individual specimens which may not be typical. Perennial weeds which may have colonised an area for some time are also a more reliable form of indicator than annual weeds which may have only been there for that year and thus indicate a temporary condition.
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Wikipedia