Intensiv skogovervåking (Level II)

På våre tre intensive skogovervåkingsflater (ICP Forests Level II) i Birkenes, Hurdal og Osen registreres og analyseres mer dyptgående skogøkologiske data og økosystemprosesser, som sammen med kronetilstandsregistreringer bidrar til en bedre forståelse av de enkelte stressfaktorers betydning for skoghelsen. I måleprogrammet på disse flatene inngår det bl.a. analyser av luft-, nedbørs-, jordvanns- og nålekjemi, registreringer av kronetilstand, tilvekstmålinger og vegetasjonsanalyser. Enkelte registreringer utføres årlig eller med noen års mellomrom, andre målinger med bare en til to ukers mellomrom, mens noen målinger pågår kontinuerlig. Metodene for innsamling og analyse av prøver følger den internasjonale manualen til ICP Forests. Lange tidsserier er viktige for å kunne avsløre endringer og påvise trender i skogøkosystemet. I Norge startet vi med målinger og analyser på våre intensive skogovervåkingsflater allerede i 1986 under Overvåkingsprogrammet for skogskader (OPS).

Level II collage2
Fra venstre: Innsamling av frittfallende nedbør, nåleprøvetaking, luftkjemiske målinger, innsamling av kronedrypp (nedbør i bestandet), kroneskader, innsamling av jordvann. Foto: Volkmar Timmermann.
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Ingvald Røsberg gjennomfører vegetasjonsanalyser i Birkenes i 2008.
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Rolf Skefstad og Leif Kjøstelsen reparerer pumpeanlegget som suger opp jordvann i Tustervatn i 2007.
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Robert Andersen fester stigen i et furutre i Kårvatn i 2005 for å klatre opp og samle inn nåleprøver.
Jordvann samles inn kontinuerlig i vekstsesongen med lysimetre som er plassert slik at de suger vann fra den nedre grensen av humussjiktet (5 cm jorddybde), og fra både øvre og nedre del av mineraljorda (15 og 40 cm jorddybde). Prøvene analyseres for pH, næringsstoffer, aluminium, klor og nitrogen- og svovelforbindelser. På denne måten kan vi fange opp for eksempel forsuring eller nitrogenmetning av jordsmonnet.
 

Nedbør samles inn kontinuerlig på åpne områder (fritt fall) og inne i skogen (kronedrypp) ved hver intensive skogovervåkingsflate. Nedbørsprøvene analyseres på månedlig basis for svovel- og nitrogenforbindelser og andre kjemiske elementer, samt pH. Analysene viser graden av avsetning av luftforurensinger gjennom nedbøren.

Målinger av forurensning i luft utføres av Norsk institutt for luftforskning (NILU). Innholdet av svovel- og nitrogenforbindelser, kalium, natrium, kalsium, magnesium og klorid i luft måles daglig på flere stasjoner på fastlands-Norge, hvorav to er tilknyttet våre intensive skogovervåkingsflater. I tillegg overvåkes ozonkonsentrasjonen med UV monitorer flere steder i landet.

Kjemisk analyse av barnåler blir gjennomført annethvert år av nåleprøver fra fem trær som står i randsona rundt hver overvåkingsflate. Fra hvert prøvetre blir det tatt en prøvegrein fra den øvre del av krona, omtrent mellom den 7. og den 15. greinkrans fra toppen. Både makro- og mikronæringsstoffer samt andre elementer måles både i årets og i fjorårets nåler. Slik kan vi danne oss et bilde av trærnes næringsstatus og tilgangen på næringsstoffer i jordsmonnet. Høye nitrogen- og svovelverdier i nedbøren vil også gjenspeiles i nålekjemien.

Trærnes kronetilstand vurderes årlig og omfatter registreringer av blant annet kronetetthet, kronefarge, skader, blomst- og konglemengde, med særlig vekt på registrering av biotiske og abiotiske skadeårsaker. Unaturlig sterkt nåle- eller bladtap og misfarging som gulfarget bar eller løv i trekrona blir vanligvis tolket som et symptom på stress eller ubalanse. Trærnes kronetilstand brukes derfor som indikator på skogens helsetilstand.

Tilvekst måles hvert femte år på de intensive flatene. Trærnes diameter og høyde måles. Samtidig registreres også skader og døde trær.

Vegetasjonsanalyser utføres hvert femte år. Det er lagt ut 10 ruter à 1 x 1 m i hver overvåkingsflate. Registreringene utføres som frekvensanalyser ved at ei ramme inndelt i 25 småruter legges over ruta. For hver art telles det opp antall småruter med forekomster av hver planteart. I tillegg er det lagt ut ruter i randsona rundt hver flate der dekningsgraden av planteartene registreres. Gjentatte vegetasjonsanalyser vil kunne dokumentere endringer i bunnvegetasjonen over tid, enten disse skyldes forandringer i næringstilgang gjennom tilførsel av luftforurensing som nitrogen, eller forandringer i lystilgang grunnet hogst.
 
Representative jordprøver ble tatt da flatene ble opprettet på 80-tallet og 5 år senere. Den gangen var det nærmere 20 intensive overvåkingsflater som ble prøvetatt. I 2011/2013 ble jordprøvetakingen gjentatt på 11 av disse. Jordprofiler ble gravd da flatene ble opprettet for å klassifisere jordtypen. Prøvene ble analysert blant annet for utbyttbare konsentrasjoner av aluminium, kalsium, kalium, magnesium og natrium, i mange tilfeller også for pH, karbon og nitrogen. 

Publikasjoner

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Sammendrag

Anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) compounds and their long-range transport have caused widespread negative impacts on different ecosystems. Critical loads (CLs) are deposition thresholds used to describe the sensitivity of ecosystems to atmospheric deposition. The CL methodology has been a key science-based tool for assessing the environmental consequences of air pollution. We computed CLs for eutrophication and acidification using a European long-term dataset of intensively studied forested ecosystem sites (n = 17) in northern and central Europe. The sites belong to the ICP IM and eLTER networks. The link between the site-specific calculations and time-series of CL exceedances and measured site data was evaluated using long-term measurements (1990–2017) for bulk deposition, throughfall and runoff water chemistry. Novel techniques for presenting exceedances of CLs and their temporal development were also developed. Concentrations and fluxes of sulphate, total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) and acidity in deposition substantially decreased at the sites. Decreases in S deposition resulted in statistically significant decreased concentrations and fluxes of sulphate in runoff and decreasing trends of TIN in runoff were more common than increasing trends. The temporal developments of the exceedance of the CLs indicated the more effective reductions of S deposition compared to N at the sites. There was a relation between calculated exceedance of the CLs and measured runoff water concentrations and fluxes, and most sites with higher CL exceedances showed larger decreases in both TIN and H+ concentrations and fluxes. Sites with higher cumulative exceedance of eutrophication CLs (averaged over 3 and 30 years) generally showed higher TIN concentrations in runoff. The results provided evidence on the link between CL exceedances and empirical impacts, increasing confidence in the methodology used for the European-scale CL calculations. The results also confirm that emission abatement actions are having their intended effects on CL exceedances and ecosystem impacts.

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Changing environmental conditions may substantially interact with site quality and forest stand characteristics, and impact forest growth and carbon sequestration. Understanding the impact of the various drivers of forest growth is therefore critical to predict how forest ecosystems can respond to climate change. We conducted a continental-scale analysis of recent (1995–2010) forest volume increment data (ΔVol, m3 ha−1 yr−1), obtained from ca. 100,000 coniferous and broadleaved trees in 442 even-aged, single-species stands across 23 European countries. We used multivariate statistical approaches, such as mixed effects models and structural equation modelling to investigate how European forest growth respond to changes in 11 predictors, including stand characteristics, climate conditions, air and site quality, as well as their interactions. We found that, despite the large environmental gradients encompassed by the forests examined, stand density and age were key drivers of forest growth. We further detected a positive, in some cases non-linear effect of N deposition, most pronounced for beech forests, with a tipping point at ca. 30 kg N ha−1 yr−1. With the exception of a consistent temperature signal on Norway spruce, climate-related predictors and ground-level ozone showed much less generalized relationships with ΔVol. Our results show that, together with the driving forces exerted by stand density and age, N deposition is at least as important as climate to modulate forest growth at continental scale in Europe, with a potential negative effect at sites with high N deposition.

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Atmospheric nitrogen (N) pollution is considered responsible for a substantial decline in plant species richness and for altered community structures in terrestrial habitats worldwide. Nitrogen affects habitats through direct toxicity, soil acidification, and in particular by favoring fast-growing species. Pressure from N pollution is decreasing in some areas. In Europe (EU28), overall emissions of NO x declined by more than 50% while NH3 declined by less than 30% between the years 1990 and 2015, and further decreases may be achieved. The timescale over which these improvements will affect ecosystems is uncertain. Here we use 23 European forest research sites with high quality long-term data on deposition, climate, soil recovery, and understory vegetation to assess benefits of currently legislated N deposition reductions in forest understory vegetation. A dynamic soil model coupled to a statistical plant species niche model was applied with site-based climate and deposition. We use indicators of N deposition and climate warming effects such as the change in the occurrence of oligophilic, acidophilic, and cold-tolerant plant species to compare the present with projections for 2030 and 2050. The decrease in N deposition under current legislation emission (CLE) reduction targets until 2030 is not expected to result in a release from eutrophication. Albeit the model predictions show considerable uncertainty when compared with observations, they indicate that oligophilic forest understory plant species will further decrease. This result is partially due to confounding processes related to climate effects and to major decreases in sulphur deposition and consequent recovery from soil acidification, but shows that decreases in N deposition under CLE will most likely be insufficient to allow recovery from eutrophication.

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The international Long-Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER) encompasses hundreds of long-term research/monitoring sites located in a wide array of ecosystems that can help us understand environmental change across the globe. We evaluated long-term trends (1990–2015) for bulk deposition, throughfall and runoff water chemistry and fluxes, and climatic variables in 25 forested catchments in Europe belonging to the UNECE International Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems (ICP IM). Many of the IM sites form part of the monitoring infrastructures of this larger ILTER network. Trends were evaluated for monthly concentrations of non-marine (anthropogenic fraction, denoted as x) sulphate (xSO4) and base cations x(Ca + Mg), hydrogen ion (H+), inorganic N (NO3 and NH4) and ANC (Acid Neutralising Capacity) and their respective fluxes into and out of the catchments and for monthly precipitation, runoff and air temperature. A significant decrease of xSO4 deposition resulted in decreases in concentrations and fluxes of xSO4 in runoff, being significant at 90% and 60% of the sites, respectively. Bulk deposition of NO3 and NH4 decreased significantly at 60–80% (concentrations) and 40–60% (fluxes) of the sites. Concentrations and fluxes of NO3 in runoff decreased at 73% and 63% of the sites, respectively, and NO3 concentrations decreased significantly at 50% of the sites. Thus, the LTER/ICP IM network confirms the positive effects of the emission reductions in Europe. Air temperature increased significantly at 61% of the sites, while trends for precipitation and runoff were rarely significant. The site-specific variation of xSO4 concentrations in runoff was most strongly explained by deposition. Climatic variables and deposition explained the variation of inorganic N concentrations in runoff at single sites poorly, and as yet there are no clear signs of a consistent deposition-driven or climate-driven increase in inorganic N exports in the catchments.

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Clumping index (CI) is a measure of foliage aggregation relative to a random distribution of leaves in space. The CI can help with estimating fractions of sunlit and shaded leaves for a given leaf area index (LAI) value. Both the CI and LAI can be obtained from global Earth Observation data from sensors such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS). Here, the synergy between a MODIS-based CI and a MODIS LAI product is examined using the theory of spectral invariants, also referred to as photon recollision probability (‘p-theory’), along with raw LAI-2000/2200 Plant Canopy Analyzer data from 75 sites distributed across a range of plant functional types. The p-theory describes the probability (p-value) that a photon, having intercepted an element in the canopy, will recollide with another canopy element rather than escape the canopy. We show that empirically-based CI maps can be integrated with the MODIS LAI product. Our results indicate that it is feasible to derive approximate p-values for any location solely from Earth Observation data. This approximation is relevant for future applications of the photon recollision probability concept for global and local monitoring of vegetation using Earth Observation data.

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Acid deposition arising from sulphur (S) and nitrogen (N) emissions from fossil fuel combustion and agriculture has contributed to the acidification of terrestrial ecosys- tems in many regions globally. However, in Europe and North America, S deposition has greatly decreased in recent decades due to emissions controls. In this study, we assessed the response of soil solution chemistry in mineral horizons of European forests to these changes. Trends in pH, acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), major ions, total aluminium (Al tot ) and dissolved organic carbon were determined for the period 1995–2012. Plots with at least 10 years of observations from the ICP Forests moni- toring network were used. Trends were assessed for the upper mineral soil (10– 20 cm, 104 plots) and subsoil (40–80 cm, 162 plots). There was a large decrease in the concentration of sulphate (SO 2 4 ) in soil solution; over a 10-year period (2000– 2010), SO 2 4 decreased by 52% at 10–20 cm and 40% at 40–80 cm. Nitrate was unchanged at 10–20 cm but decreased at 40–80 cm. The decrease in acid anions was accompanied by a large and significant decrease in the concentration of the nutrient base cations: calcium, magnesium and potassium (Bc = Ca 2+ + Mg 2+ + K + ) and Al tot over the entire dataset. The response of soil solution acidity was nonuni- form. At 10–20 cm, ANC increased in acid-sensitive soils (base saturation ≤10%) indicating a recovery, but ANC decreased in soils with base saturation >10%. At 40–80 cm, ANC remained unchanged in acid-sensitive soils (base saturation ≤20%, pH CaCl 2 ≤ 4.5) and decreased in better-buffered soils (base saturation >20%, pH CaCl 2 > 4.5). In addition, the molar ratio of Bc to Al tot either did not change or decreased. The results suggest a long-time lag between emission abatement and changes in soil solution acidity and underline the importance of long-term monitor- ing in evaluating ecosystem response to decreases in deposition.

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Mast seeding, the synchronised occurrence of large amounts of fruits and seeds at irregular intervals, is a reproductive strategy in many wind-pollinated species. Although a series of studies have investigated mast year (MY) patterns in European forest tree species at the regional scale, there are few recent evaluations at a European scale on the impact of weather variables (weather cues) and resource dynamics on mast behaviour. Thus the main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of specific weather conditions, as environmental drivers for MYs, on resources in Fagus sylvatica L., Quercus petraea (Matt.)Liebl., Quercus robur L., Picea abies (L.) Karst. and Pinus sylvestris L. at a European level and to explore the robustness of the relationships in smaller regions within Europe. Data on seed production originating from the International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) were analysed. Three beta regression models were applied to investigate the impact of seasonal weather variables on MY occurrence, as well as the influence of fruiting intensity levels in the years prior to MYs. Resource dynamics are analysed at three different spatial scales (continent, countries and ecoregions). At a European scale, important weather cues for beech MYs were a cold and wet summer two years before a MY, a dry and warm summer one year before a MY and a warm spring in the MY. For spruce, a cold and dry summer two years prior to a MY and a warm and dry summer in the year before the MY showed the strongest associations with the MY. For oak, high spring temperature in the MY was the most important weather cue. For beech and spruce, and to some extent also for oak species, the best fitting models at European scale were well reflected by those found at smaller scales. For pine, best fitting models were highly diverse concerning weather cues. Fruiting levels were high in all species two years before the MY and also high one year before the MY in the oak species and in pine. In beech, fruiting levels one year before the MY were not important and in spruce, they were inconsistent depending on the region. As a consequence, evidence of resource depletion could only be seen in some regions for spruce.

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Empirical evidence based on integrated environmental monitoring including physical, chemical and biological variables is essential for evaluating the ecosystem benefits of costly emission reduction policies. The international multidisciplinary ICP IM (International Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems) programme studies the integrated effects of air pollution and climate change on ecosystems in unmanaged and calibrated forested catchments. We calculated site-specific annual input-output budgets for sulphate (SO4) and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN NO3- N + NH4-N) for 17 European ICP IM sites in 1990–2012. Temporal trends for input (deposition) and output (runoff water) fluxes and the net retention/net release of SO4 and TIN were also analysed. Large differences in the input and output fluxes of SO4 and TIN reflect important gradients of air pollution effects in Europe, with the highest deposition and runoff water fluxes at IM sites located in southern Scandinavia and in parts of Central and Eastern Europe and the lowest fluxes at more remote sites in northern European regions. A significant decrease in the total (wet + dry) deposition of non-marine SO4 and bulk deposition of TIN was found at 90% and 65% of the sites, respectively. Output fluxes of non-marine SO4 in runoff decreased significantly at 65% of the sites, indicating positive effects of the international emission abatement actions in Europe during the last 20 years. Catchments retained SO4 in the early and mid1990s, but this shifted towards a net release in the late 1990s, which may be due to the mobilization of legacy S pools accumulated during times of high atmospheric SO4 deposition. Despite decreased deposition, TIN output fluxes and retention rates showed a mixed response with both decreasing (9 sites) and increasing (8 sites) trend slopes, and trends were rarely significant. In general, TIN was strongly retained in the catchments not affected by natural disturbances. The long-term annual variation in net releases for SO4 was explained by variations in runoff and SO4 concentrations in deposition, while a variation in TIN concentrations in runoff was mostly associated with a variation of the TIN retention rate in catchments. The net release of SO4 from forest soils may delay the recovery from acidification for surface waters and the continued enrichment of nitrogen in catchment soils poses a threat to terrestrial biodiversity and may ultimately lead to a higher TIN runoff through N-saturation. Continued monitoring and further evaluations of mass balance budgets are thus needed.

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