NPElement: A Database of Lichen Elemental Concentrations in the U.S. National Parks

Lichens have been sampled in U.S. National Parks since 1979 for elemental analyses of tissues. These samples were collected and measured to determine the levels of heavy metals, nutrients, and trace elements. 75 species have been sampled in 43 national park units (map) in 24 states. Concentration data for 48 elements and ash content have been measured and published in 95 separate publications.

These data have been collated and assembled into an Access database containing over 70,330 data points. Because the data are multi-factorial and complex, they are being made available at this website in the form of a downloadable Access *.mdb file. Users may download the database and query it on their own computers, selecting variables of interest through menus. Results of the queries may be output to the users' computers as Excel spreadsheet files containing the data in column format. The data are stored in the database in a different format.

The NPElement database may be downloaded for use on your home computer. You must have Microsoft Access to run the database. In addition, it was designed for use in Access 2003, and the authors cannot guarantee that it will work correctly with other versions of Access. Click the button below to download it.

If you inadvertently make changes to the database after you download it, and it no longer functions correctly, simply delete your copy and download another one.

Metadata for NPElement are also available.

This database was developed by James P. Bennett, U. S. Geological Survey and University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Website development was by Kara Jensen, University of Wisconsin. Funding for this database was provided by the U. S. Geological Survey, Madison, WI and the Great Lakes Network Office, National Park Service, Ashland, WI.

The following citation may be used when referencing this site: NPElement, A Database of Lichen Elemental Concentrations in the U. S. National Parks. [fill in date]. Version 1.0. U. S. Geological Survey. http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/our_research/np_element.jsp. Accessed [fill in date].

For technical questions about website content, or if you have queries that are not offered here, please contact Jim Bennett at jpbennet@wisc.edu, (608) 262-5489.

A variant of NPElement, which was developed for a separate project, is also available. GLKN Element encompasses data from the National Parks in the Great Lakes region as well as several protected areas that are not in the National Park System (and therefore not included in NPElement). It can be downloaded by clicking the button below.

Metadata for GLKN Element are also available.

This database was last updated on October 2, 2006.