Intensive Monitoring of Forest Ecosystems in Europe : Technical Report 1997

Brüssel

1997

104 S.

zahlr. Lit. Ang.

Bandaufführung

13834

102383

In order to gain a better understanding of the effects of air pollution and other stress factors on forests, a Pan- European Programme for Intensive and Continuous Monitoring of Forest Ecosystems has been implemented. In this context 858 permanent observation plots for intensive moniroring of forest ecosystems have now been selected (501 in the European Union and 357 in several non-EU countries, including Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonis, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia (St. Petersburg-region), Slovak Republic and Switzerland). The Pan-European Programme is based on both, the European Scheme on the Protection of Forests against Atmospheric Pollution (Council Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86) and the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) under the Convention of Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (UN/ECE). The establishment of the Pan-European Programme was supported by Resolution No 1 of the first Ministrial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (Strasbourg, 1990) and Resolution No 4 of the second Ministrial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (Helsinki, 1993). The Intensive Monitoring Programme aims at the assessment of crown condition, increment and the chemical composition of foliage and soil on all plots over a period of at least 15 to 20 years. Additional measurements foreseen on a limited number of plots include atmospheric deposition, meteorological parameters and soil solution chemistry. Within each of these surveys, a number of mandatory and optional parameters has been defined. Additional studies, that are neither assigned as being mandatory or optional, are also carried out in many countries, such as studies on phenology, phytopathology, ground vegetation and litterfall. In order to set up procedures for the validation, storage, distribution and evaluation of the data at a European level, a Forest Intensive Monitoring Coordinating Institute (FIMCI) has been set up being a contactor of the European Commission (EC). Within FIMCI, the DLO Winand Staring Centre for Integrated Land Soil and Water Research (SC-DLO) and Oraniewoud International work together. Apart from the data management, FIMCI also acts as an information centre for NFC's, including both member and non-member states of the European Union. By the end of 1996 results of survey data were for the first time submitted to FIMCI. Based on these data this Technical Report had been produced. The preparation of this report was possible thanks to the submission of data and information by the various NFC's to FIMCI, the active participation and coorperation of members of the Scientific Advisory Group and the national representatives in the meetings of the expert panels (ad-hoc working groups), the Standing Forestry Committee (European Union) and the Task Force of ICP Forests.