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