Intensive long term monitoring of forest ecosystems

Summary

In order to gain a better understanding of the effects of air pollution, climate change and other stress factors affecting UK forest ecosystems, long-term intensive monitoring plots covering five important tree species have been established. These plots form part of a European wide ‘Level II’ programme network established under European Union Regulations (see map).

Enlarge map ^(44K)
Map showing geographic distribution of Level II plots in Europe

This research complements large-scale surveys of tree health established in Britain by the Forestry Commission, and in many European countries, during the 1980s.

The intensive monitoring programme is a vital resource to detect environmental change in UK forests and to provide the means of explaining changes in forest growth. Although a long-term monitoring programme, it has produced valuable data, and considerable insight into the dynamic nature of UK forect ecosystems. Many opportunities have been taken for further ecological studies to be built upon the intensive monitoring framework.

Plots have been established in working forests under normal forest management, so data also document change due to management practices. Data from these plots are being used to support other environmental research programmes, and also to provide information for wider Forestry Commission objectives, namely the protection of Britain’s forests and woodlands, sustainability, and soil and water quality.

Research objectives

Understand the fate of atmospheric pollutants in a range of managed forest ecosystems; i.e. their accumulation, distribution, release and patterns of release and leaching.
Identify cause-effect relationships which explain the extent to which air pollution and other abiotic (e.g. inter-annual variation in climatic conditions, storms, fire) and biotic (e.g. parasites, invasive species, livestock, newly emerging diseases) stress factors are responsible for observed variations in forest condition.
Review the likely impact of future scenarios of climate change, air pollution and other abiotic and biotic stress factors on managed forest ecosystems.
Contribute to assessments of net carbon sequestration by European forests. Also, contribute to assessments of the global carbon balance.
Determine critical levels/ loads of atmospheric pollutants (SO2, NO2, NH3 and heavy metals such as Cu, Cr, Zn, Cd, Ni and Pb) for managed forests in the UK under current and predicted climatic conditions.
Develop and test indicators that can be used to assess the long-term sustainability of forest ecosystems and shifts in biodiversity.

Funders and partners

Forestry Commission logo EU flag
The programme is jointly funded by the Forestry Commission and the European Union through the LIFE+ FutMon project.

Forestry Commission policy

Under the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, each country is required to nominate and finance a central agency, known as the National Focal Centre, responsible for:

Establishing a network of permanent intensive monitoring plots
Collection, organisation, validation and storage national data
Data management and analysis at national level
Data submission to a central European agency
Participation in evaluation and interpretation of data at the European level.

The UK National Focal Centre is based in the Centre for Forestry and Climate Change of Forest Research and its responsibilities are fulfilled with assistance from other parts of Forest Research.

Parameters measured and frequency of assessment

The intensive forest monitoring network is supported by detailed measurements of a wide range of variables.

Summary of Level II data collection ^(154K)

Status

Since 1995, 10 permanent intensive monitoring Level II plots have been installed in Britain in accordance with EU protocols. These represent three important forest species:

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr)
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)
Oak (Quercus spp.).

An additional 10 plots were added in 2002, including a further two important forest species: beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies).

Location of Level II plots in Britain

Each plot is 0.3 ha in area, and contains a permanent mensuration sample plot of 0.1 ha for growth studies. Monitoring is intended to take place for a minimum of 20 years.

A plan of a typical Level II plot ^(7K)

Contact

Rona Pitman
Centre for Forestry and Climate Change
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham
Surrey GU10 4LH
UK
Tel: 01420 22255
Email: rona.pitman@forestry.gsi.gov.uk