+ – 2- Nadelverlust der Lärche Säureeinträge Ammonium (NH4 ), Nitrat (NO3 ), Sulfat (SO4 ) 100 5,0 /ha] c

80 4,0

60 3,0

40 2,0 Säureeinträge [kmol Säureeinträge Mittlerer Nadelverlust [%] Mittlerer Nadelverlust

20 1,0

0 0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 + – 2- Nadelverlust der Lärche Säureeinträge Ammonium (NH4 ), Nitrat (NO3 ), Sulfat (SO4 ) Schadstufen Mittlerer Nadelverlust 100 5,0 Mittelwert aller WKS Wertebereich 1993–2008 1 (Warnstufe)

/ha] Mittelwert Berchtesgaden c 2 (26–60 % Nadelverlust)

80 4,0 + – 2- 3+4 (>61 % Nadelverlust) Nadelverlust der Lärche Säureeinträge Ammonium (NH4 ), Nitrat (NO3 ), Sulfat (SO4 ) 100 5,0

3,0 /ha]

60 c

80 4,0

40 2,0 Säureeinträge [kmol Säureeinträge Mittlerer Nadelverlust [%] Mittlerer Nadelverlust 60 3,0

20 1,0 40 2,0 Säureeinträge [kmol Säureeinträge Mittlerer Nadelverlust [%] Mittlerer Nadelverlust www.icp-forests.org 0 0 20 1,0

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Bavarian State Institute 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Bavarian Forest Ecosystem The Monitoring Programme A Closer Look at a Bavarian Forest Bad Brückenau Rothenkirchen Schadstufen Mittlerer Nadelverlust of Forestry Monitoring Plots Monitoring Plot 0 0 Mittelwert aller WKS Wertebereich 1993–2008 1 (Warnstufe) 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Mittelwert1993 1994 1995 Berchtesgaden1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Forests have exceptional importance for the functionality of Basic parameters measured at all plots Forest Stand Subplot Rothenbuch Goldkronach 2 (26–60 % Nadelverlust) Schadstufen Mittlerer Nadelverlust the natural environment and for the protection of natural A forest stand subplot is located within a stand, which is as Flossenbürg 3+4 (>61 % Nadelverlust) Mittelwert aller WKS Wertebereich 1993–2008 • Meteorology (e.g. temperature, precipitation) Würzburg 1 (Warnstufe) resources. They are subject to constant change controlled by homogeneous as possible with regards to tree species, age, Mittelwert Berchtesgaden • Deposition of air pollutants and nutrients Altdorf 2 (26–60 % Nadelverlust) environmental factors. At the Bavarian forest ecosystem mo- structure and site. Contaminants are quantitatively and 3+4 (>61 % Nadelverlust) nitoring plots (WKS) environmental impacts and their effects • Soil condition qualitatively measured. Changes in the forest soil (such asDinkelsbühl

soil acidity or summer drought) are monitored to evaluate Mitterfels on forests are continuously measured in different landscapes • Soil solution chemistry Riedenburg and forest regions. their implications for forest trees. • Contaminant leaching below the root area Pfeffenhausen Freising Bavarian Forest Ecosystem The Bavarian State Institute of Forestry (LWF) has been ope- • Tree growth Clearing Subplot Höglwald Altötting Monitoring Plot rating the Bavarian forest monitoring programme since • Crown condition Open-field measurements are made on larger clearings Ebersberg 1991. The network provides basic data and infrastructure to nearby to the stand subplot. Monitoring includes data on • Phenology (e.g. time of bud break) Kreuth other research initiatives. meteorological key quantities having an impact on theSonthofen Kreuth • Tree nutritional status forest canopy (such as wind speed), as well as dry or wet Berchtesgaden deposition of contaminants. Due to spatial proximity, • Ground vegetation Forest monitoring plots Bad Brückenau Rothenkirchen comparable altitude and terrain data from forest stand Level-II-Plots basic programme and clearing subplots can be closely linked to each other. meteorological measurements only core plots Bad Brückenau Special parameters measured at core plots Rothenkirchen co-funded by LIFE+(EU) Rothenbuch Goldkronach • Soil moisture and temperature Azores Canary Islands Cyprus The large amount of data collected (approx. 750.000 mea- surement values per year) allows identifying cause-effect Flossenbürg • Stand precipitation (throughfall, stemflow) relationships of environmental impact factors, such as RothenbuchWürzburg Goldkronach • Phenological garden storms, droughts and contaminants. Data are used, for ex- Altdorf Flossenbürg ample, for determining the date of bark beetle swarming. Würzburg • Air pollutants (passive sampling) The monitoring is basically operated by the local forest Dinkelsbühl Altdorf • CO 2 emission from forest soils Environmental Monitoring authority. Riedenburg Mitterfels Dinkelsbühl in European Forests Pfeffenhausen The local forest officer takes a throughfall sample for laboratory analysis Riedenburg Mitterfels The most important results are published in the Bavarian Bavarian forest ecosystem monitoring plots are part of a of nitrogen deposition. Freising Forest Condition Reports to make them accessible for policy Pan-European network of intensive forest monitoring Pfeffenhausen Höglwald Altötting makers, but also for science and forestry service. Up-to-date (EU/ICP Forests Programme Level II) for long-term assess- EbersbergFreising data and information are available from the Bavarian State ment of environmental risks (atmospheric pollution, climate Altötting Höglwald Institute of Forestry (LWF). conditions) on the condition and the development of Euro- Ebersberg Kreuth pean forest ecosystems. The monitoring network, reaching Sonthofen from the North Cape to the Canary Islands, comprises al- Berchtesgaden Kreuth most 800 »Level II« plots of a total of 26 EU-member states Sonthofen Berchtesgaden and 15 non-EU countries. Forest monitoring plots Level-II-Plots basic programme Forest monitoring plots The new »FutMon« project aims to »FutMon« provides qualified and The »Level II« plots are coordina- meteorological measurements only further develop European forest comparable information on ted by the International Coope- basic programme Level-II-Plots core plots monitoring and is co-funded by the environmental risks and impact of rative Programme on Assessment meteorological measurements only co-funded by LIFE+(EU) EU in the framework of the LIFE+ climate change for European and Monitoring of Air Pollution Azores Canary Islands Cyprus core plots (FutMon) programme. A total of forests. This creates a supraregi- Effects on Forests (ICP Forests). 38 partners from 24 countries are onal platform available to policy co-funded by LIFE+(EU) involved in this project. LWF parti- makers and the public. Azores Canary Islands Cyprus cipates with ten Bavarian forest monitoring plots. Cover photo: V. Kantelberg Photo: Lehmann

Ecosystem Monitoring Plot Kreuth The natural mixed mountain forest here at 1 The forest stand subplot is located within Kreuth monitoring plot is an example for the catchment area of the creek »Schrei- a stable tree composition at a hillside loca- bach« (6.3 hectares). The Bavarian State Location tion in the Bavarian Alpine foothills. This Pertaining to the Flysch zone of the Alps, growth Office for Water Management Rosen- district Upper Bavarian Alpine Flysch foothills (»Oberbaye- provides protection against soil erosion heim is measuring the discharge at this rische Flysch-Voralpen«); steep hillslope position in a basin even under condition of steep slopes torrential creek with a weir since almost Photo: H. Herzig exposed to the northwest; approx. 1.100 metres above sea and frequent heavy precipitation events. 20 years. Additional water quality samples level are regularly taken for analysis in the

Climate LWF laboratory. Consequently, element Annual mean air temperature: 6.6 °C, annual mean pre- budgets for a larger landscape section can cipitation sum: 1920 l/m² (1998–2009); ample water supply be provided. all year round due to orographic lift and frequent summer thunderstorms ; mean growing season approx. 140 days; Kreuth Nitrogen deposition is above average. Special features 4 water catchment areas (approx. 4–16 hectares) Nitrogen originates from industry, traffic, Geology private households and agriculture. Topographic data: Bavarian Surveying Administration, scale 1:65.000 2 Interbedded strata of clay layers with lime/marl lime Especially at foothills of the Northern Alps In alpine mountain ranges forests are ex- Forest stand subplot Catchment area (»Obere Bunte Mergel«); underlying bedrock of cretaceous inflowing air masses are likely to be con- posed to elevated ozone concentrations Clearing subplot Water gauge Schreibach ocean sediments; the forest soils in the Flysch zone have gested in the hillslope basin and filtered by due to higher radiation levels compared to a strong tendency towards waterlogging and are particularly the canopy of the stand. If high nitrogen lowland plots. Taking into account current at risk of erosion Ecosystem Monitoring Plot Kreuth deposition persist in the future, adverse thresholds for the protection of vegetation The Kreuth monitoring plot is located 4 km west of Soil effects on forest ecosystem functions are 3 the forest stand here in Kreuth is at high and 1 km north of the »Kogelkopf« summit. Brown earth/hill gley with interflow (German soil classifi- to be expected. risk of ozone damage. cation: »Braunerde-Hanggley«); a tendency to water logging Contact and slight acidification of the upper soil layer, due to Bavarian State Institute of Forestry presence of marl lime below a soil depth of 40 cm neutral Nitrogen depositions Ozone concentrations Phone: 0049 8161 71- 4881, Fax: 0049 8161 71-4971 pH values and a high nutrient availability to plants are found 35 ] 100 3

www.lwf.bayern.de /ha] g 30 Office of Food, Agriculture and Forestry Stand characteristics 80 Branch office Wolfratshausen Approx. 120-year old vital and vigorous mixed mountain 25 Phone: 0049 8171 4317-0, Fax: 0049 8171 4317-143 forest with spruce (50%), beech (30%) und fir (20%), 60 www.aelf-mb.bayern.de individual occurrence of Sycamore and European mountain 20

ash; timber stock approx. 870 cubic metres per hectare 15 Partner (in 2007); average annual volume increment ca.16.6 cubic 40 Nitrogen depositions [k metres per hectare (1997–2007) 10 [µg/ m concentrations Ozone 20 5 Vegetation Bayerische Staatsforsten AöR, Wasserwirtschaftsamt Rosenheim 0 0 Forstbetrieb , www.baysf.de www.wwa-ro.bayern.de Potential natural vegetation: woodruff beech forest (Galio-

Fagetum polytrichetosum); characteristics of ground vegeta- 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Altdorf Freising Alps Sonthofen tion: woodruff (Galium odoratum) and haircap (Polytrichum Alps Goldkronach Rothenbuch Alps Kreuth Berchtesgaden formosum) Average results Kreuth Range 1993–2008 ICP Forests, www.icp-forests.org FutMon, www.futmon.org Average results from all WKS 2002 2003 2004 2005 2nd edition, May 2010 Print office Lanzinger, Oberbergkirchen Printed on PEFC-certified paper Photo: L. Zimmermann