Chemical content of soil solution is varying in time and space and is dependent on the sampling and measurement techniques in use. It is a valuable indicator for effects of stress factors on both forests and the surrounding water ecosystems. A continuous standardized methodology for soil solution collection and analysis is of ultimate importance. Methods for harmonized collection and analysis of soil solution on a Europe-wide scale are presented with a special emphasis on sampling and measurement techniques, Quality Assurance, and laboratory analyses. Results based on data produced by the harmonized soil solution monitoring under ICP Forests are presented. They show regular exceedances of critical limits for nitrogen concentrations in soil solution on the majority of the examined sites.

Meteorological variables affect composition, structure, growth, health, and dynamics of forest ecosystems. The measurement of meteorological data at forest monitoring plots is essential for the interpretation of climate change effects. Within an ecological monitoring network, standard meteorological variables such as precipitation, air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, wind velocity, and direction should be measured. These variables are essential for the calculation of total deposition of air pollutants, for the interpretation of biological processes or for the derivation of water budgets and percolation from the rooting zone. Additional variables of interest are soil temperature, stand precipitation, and soil moisture. The magnitude and changes in time of the meteorological variables can be assessed as explanatory factors for other observations made in forest ecological monitoring. A detailed description of different methods is given. As an example for an integrated analysis, the application of meteorological data in water budget modeling is described and results of a pilot study are shown.

Sämtliche Klimaprojektionen lassen für Sachsen-Anhalt einen deutlichen Temperaturanstieg bei gleichzeitig veränderter saisonaler Niederschlagsverteilung erwarten. Von den Folgen des Klimawandels wird insbesondere die langfristig handelnde Forstwirtschaft betroffen sein, da sich die Produktionsgrundlagen, die Risiken und die Ertragsaussichten wesentlich verändern. In der vorliegenden Pilotstudie sind in ausgewählten Regionen Sachsen-Anhalts auf der Basis räumlich hoch aufgelöster Klima-, Standort-, Bestandes- und Risikoinformationen Entscheidungshilfen für das operationale Handeln von Forstbetrieben entwickelt worden. Als Modellregionen dienen der Oberharz, der Fläming und die Colbitz-Letzlinger Heide. -- SW: Stichworte: Oberharz, Fläming, Colbitz-Letzlinger Heide, biotische Risiken, Trockenstressrisiko, Sturmschadensrisiko, Standort-Leistungsbezug, Waldbrandrisiko