The intensive forest monitoring is key for providing insight into cause-and-effect relationships between the condition of forest ecosystems and various stress factors such as air pollution and drought.
Set-up of the ICP Forests intensive monitoring
- around 800 plots have been established
- major European forest types are represented
- the integrating evaluation of different surveys offers the possibility to understand complex ecosystem processes.
Surveys carried out within the intensive monitoring programme
Survey |
Frequency |
N. of plots |
Crown condition |
annually |
797 |
Foliar chemistry |
every 2 years |
767 |
Soil chemistry |
every 10 years |
738 |
Tree growth |
every 5 years |
769 |
Ground vegetation |
every 5 years |
723 |
Stand structure incl. deadwood |
test phase ongoing |
90 |
Epiphytic lichens |
test phase ongoing |
90 |
Soil solution chemistry |
continuously |
254 |
Atmospheric deposition |
continuously |
545 |
Ambient air quality |
continuously |
41 |
Meteorology |
continuously |
209 |
Phenology |
several times per year |
data validation ongoing |
Litterfall |
continuously |
data validation ongoing |
Remote sensing |
preferably at plot installation |
national data |