european topic centre on terrestrial environment presentation of proposed soil indicators martha...

European Topic Centre on Terrestrial Environment

Presentation of proposed soil indicators

Martha Wepner, Timo Tarvainen, Jaume Fons, Sigbert Huber

SESSION 3

1. Proposed indicators

•Diffuse contamination

•Local contamination

Diffuse soil contamination

• Main issues– Acidification– Eutrophication– Heavy metals and chemicals

• Suggested indicators– Excess load acidity (Pressure, acidification)– Heavy metal accumulation (State, HMs)– Heavy metal mobility (Impact, HMs)– Application of sewage sludge (Pressure, HMs)

• Many more indicators discussed in the Technical Workshop in May 2002

• Main problem: need of monitoring data

SESSION 3

1. Proposed indicators

•Diffuse contamination

Acidification and critical loads

• Air Pollution YIR99AP6: Areas exposed to acidification and eutrophication

• Based on several protected targets: surface waters, groundwater, soil

• No single criteria for soils: no root damage, no accumulation …

SESSION 3

1. Proposed indicators

•Diffuse contamination

Excess load acidity (P)

• Best dataset by now

• ICP Forest Level II

• Excess load acidity based on Al/BC (crit) preventing root damage

• Red dots: present deposition can lead to root damage

• No time series yet but based on existing monitoring

• Source: Convention of Longe-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests and European Scheme on the Protection of Forests against Atmospheric Pollution: Technical Report 2002: "Intensive Monitoring of Ecosystems in Europe", prepared by Forest Intensive Monitoring Coordination Institute, 2002, page 112, fig 4.11.

SESSION 3

1. Proposed indicators

•Diffuse contamination

Heavy metal accumulation (S)

• Core set of indicators: positive feedback from EIONET

• Pb topsoil/Pb subsoil

• Baltic Soil Survey and FOREGS

• The most interesting points: high concentration with clear enrichment

• Better coverage: data request needed

SESSION 3

1. Proposed indicators

•Diffuse contamination

Heavy metal mobility (I)

• Is mobility more important than accumulation?

• British result: HM accumulation with soil acidification -> stream sediment/soil ratio > 1

• Example of Zn based on FOREGS

• In future: HM mobility to crops, data from AROMIS project?

SESSION 3

1. Proposed indicators

•Diffuse contamination

Sewage sludge application (P)

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

B C LA UA S St T V Vie

Pe

rce

nt

1995 1998

Source: ÖSTAT (1995, 1998); BMLF; AMA; INVEKOS-Data (date May 1999); BFL (1996): Ecological evaluation of the Austrian environment programme ÖPUL; FEA Monographie/No. 95 (1997), BMLF (1999): Austrian Water Protection Report

Agricultural area treated with sewage sludgerelated to the total permitted agricultural area

Provinces of Austria (NUTS 2 level)

SESSION 3

1. Proposed indicators

•Diffuse contamination

Sewage sludge application

• Data needs: total agricultural area, area of agricultural land treated with sewage sludge; subindicator: amount of sewage sludge applied, average heavy metal content

• Data availability: high for agricultural area and amount of sewage sludge, medium for area treated with sewage sludge and h.m. content

• Feasibility: mainly at NUTS 2 level, every 3 years; only in co-operation with Member countries, EC, Eurostat and ETC-WMF

• Main problem: need of regional data

data request to countries

SESSION 3

1. Proposed indicators

•Diffuse contamination