The demand for comparable, long-term, high quality data on forest ecosystems' status and changes is increasing at the international and global level. Yet, sources for such data are limited and in many case it is not possible to compare data from different monitoring initiatives across space and time because of methodological differences. Apart from technical manuals, there is no comprehensive multidisciplinary, scientific, peer-reviewed reference for forest monitoring methods that can serve and support the user community. This book provides in a single reference the state-of-the-art of monitoring methods as applied at the international level. The book present scientific concepts and methods that form the basis of the transnational, long-term forest monitoring in Europe and looks at other initiatives at the global level. Standardized methods that have been developed over two decades in international forest monitoring projects are presented. Emphasis is put on trans-nationally harmonized methods, related data quality issues, current achievements and on remaining open questions. A comprehensive overview of needs, requirements, organization and possible outcomes of an integrated monitoring program.Tested and quality assured, internationally harmonized methodologies based on a complete revision of existing methods carried out in 2009-2011. Connection with monitoring results allows assessment of the potential of the monitoring method Preface; Section 1 - Introduction to Forest Monitoring; Forest monitoring: an introduction; Pan European Forest monitoring - an overview; Forest and related-ecosystem monitoring in Acid Deposition Monitoring in East Asia (EANET) ; Forest Monitoring methods in the US and Canada - an overview ; Section 2. Designing Forest Monitoring; A Quality Assurance framework for designing forest monitoring programmes; Concepts and design principles adopted in the International Co-operative Programme on the Assessment and Monitoring Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) ; A statistical perspective for designing a large-scale European forest monitoring network, combining country estimates and for integration with National Forest Inventories - example for defoliation; Monitoring methods for above-ground vegetation; Assessment of tree condition; Tree phenology; Tree growth measurements in long-term forest monitoring in Europe; Assessment of visible foliar injury due to ozone; Tree foliage - sampling and chemical analysis; Litterfall - biomass, chemistry, leaf area and links with wider ecosystem functioning; Section 4. Monitoring methods for soil; Forest soil - characterization, sampling, physical and chemical analyses; Soil solution - sampling and chemical analysis; Section 5. Monitoring methods for atmospheric-related variables in forests; Meteorology; Atmospheric deposition to forest ecosystems; Methods for measuring gaseous air pollutants in forests; Section 6. Methods to ensure monitoring quality; Quality Assurance in international forest monitoring in Europe; Data quality in field surveys: methods and results for tree condition, phenology, growth, plant diversity and foliar injury due to ozone; Data quality assessment in laboratories: methods and results for soil, foliar, water and chemical analyses; Methods for database quality assessment; Reporting forest monitoring; Section 7 - Forest monitoring: synthesis and outlook; Terrestrial methods in forest monitoring: achievements, problems, perspectivesPreface;
