An ecological and taxonomic survey of the lichen flora of Cedar Breaks National Monument, Ashdown Gorge Wilderness Area and the surrounding Dixie National Forest, Iron County, Utah, including an air quality biomonitoring baseline

The lichen flora of Cedar Breaks National Monument, Ashdown Gorge Wilderness Area, and the surrounding Dixie National Forest on the west edge of the Markagunt Plateau, Iron County, Utah, is determined. Specimens are deposited in the Brigham Young University, Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Herbarium of Nonvascular Cryptogams. A total of 223 species in 69 genera are reported. Sixty-nine species are reported new for Utah.; An air quality biomonitoring baseline is in place for Cedar Breaks National Monument. Two sensitive indicator species, Rhizoplaca melanophthalma and Xanthoparmelia cumberlandla, were collected from four reference sites in and around the Monument. Proton Induced X-ray Emissions analysis was used to determine the concentrations of 20 potential pollutant elements in the lichen tissues. Results indicate that air quality is well within background levels for the Monument.