Abstracts were edited by

Open Journal of Forestry, 2014

The COST Action FP0903 "Climate Change and Forest Mitigation and Adaptation in a Polluted Environment (MAFor)" involved 29 countries and created a platform for information exchange with experts from different fields, with the following main objectives: 1) to increase understanding of * Corresponding author. G. Carriero et al. 198 the state and potential of forest mitigation and adaptation to climate change in a polluted environment and 2) to reconcile process-oriented research, long-term monitoring and applied modelling at comprehensive forest research sites. In particular, MAFor translated the existing European knowledge on climate and air pollution dynamics into prospects for forest research and monitoring, with focus on the carbon, ozone, nitrogen and water budgets. The aim of this paper is to summarize scientific activities and achievements of MAFor: the creation of a meta-database for highlighting the available data and integrating the information from European forest research/monitoring networks; the development of a new concept of forest sites for research and monitoring (Supersites); the identification of the main knowledge gaps; and the definition of priorities for forest adaptation to climate change in a polluted environment. The action also increased European capacity building in this sector by organizing five conferences, granting 64 short-term scientific missions, organizing four training schools and publishing more than 100 papers.

Environmental Pollution, 2012

Forests in Europe face significant changes in climate, which in interaction with air quality changes, may significantly affect forest productivity, stand composition and carbon sequestration in both vegetation and soils. Identified knowledge gaps and research needs include: (i) interaction between changes in air quality (trace gas concentrations), climate and other site factors on forest ecosystem response, (ii) significance of biotic processes in system response, (iii) tools for mechanistic and diagnostic understanding and upscaling, and (iv) the need for unifying modelling and empirical research for synthesis. This position paper highlights the above focuses, including the global dimension of air pollution as part of climate change and the need for knowledge transfer to enable reliable risk assessment. A new type of research site in forest ecosystems ("supersites") will be conducive to addressing these gaps by enabling integration of experimentation and modelling within the soil-plant-atmosphere interface, as well as further model development.

2001

Monitor the biological, chemical and physical state of ecosystems (catchments/plots) over time in order to provide an explanation of changes in terms of causative environmental factors, including natural changes, air pollution and climate change, with the aim to provide a scientific basis for emission control. Develop and validate models for the simulation of ecosystem responses and use them (a) to estimate responses to actual or predicted changes in pollution stress, and (b) in concert with survey data to make regional assessments. Carry out biomonitoring to detect natural changes, in particular to assess effects of air pollutants and climate change. sites has recently started. This work is led by the National Focal Point of Sweden. First results are presented in Section 2 of this report. Future work Maintenance and development of a central ICP IM data base at the Programme Centre. Continued assessment of the long-term effects of S and N compounds to support the implementation of emission reduction protocols, including: assessment of trends; calculation of ecosystem budgets; dynamic modelling and scenario assessment. Calculation of pools and fluxes of heavy metals at selected sites (continuation of the work). Assessment of cause-effect relationships for biological data, particularly vegetation (continuation of the work). Coordination of work and cooperation with other ICPs, particularly regarding dynamic modelling (all ICPs), cause-effect relationships in terrestrial systems (ICP Forests, ICP Vegetation), and surface waters (ICP Waters). Cooperation with external organisations and programmes, particularly Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) and International Long Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER). Participation in projects with a global change perspective. It is currently planned to use data from sites in the ICP IM network in the EU-project Carbon and nitrogen interactions in forest ecosystems (CNTER), and in the project Climate induced variation of dissolved organic carbon in Nordic surface waters (NMDTOC) of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Of the 42 countries that have participated in ICP Forests since 1986, 27 countries reported large-scale monitoring data from Level I plots and more detailed forest ecosystem related monitoring data from Level II plots for the year 2012. In total, the participating countries provided information on more than 15,000 plots and more than 220,000 trees. Data analyses for this 2013 Technical Report focused on the impact of air pollution on tree crown condition and on sulphate and nitrogen deposition to forests. In addition, the impact on individual trees of factors other than air pollution, e.g., biotic agents, was assessed.

iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry, 2011

2015

IForest, 2011

2021

The Integrated Monitoring Programme (ICP IM) is part of the effect-oriented activities under the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, which covers the region of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The main aim of ICP IM is to provide a framework to observe and understand the complex changes occurring in natural/semi natural ecosystems. This report summarizes the work carried out by the ICP IM Programme Centre and several collaborating institutes. The emphasis of the report is in the work done during the programme year 2020/2021 including: • A short summary of previous data assessments • A status report of the ICP IM activities, content of the IM database, and geographical coverage of the monitoring network • A report on the recovery of epiphytic lichen communities in Sweden over 20 years of rapid air pollution decline • A report on long-term impacts of air pollution and climate change at Finnish ICP IM sites • National Reports on ICP IM activities are presented as annexes.

2012