2. Forest monitoring programme in 2003
Jerzy Wawrzoniak
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Permanent observation plots (POPs) form the main element to the structure of the forest monitoring system (Fig.1).
As of 2003, the programme of forest monitoring took in the following measurements, and observations:
1. Monitoring of damage to stands - assessment of defoliation and discolouration of the assimilatory apparatus, and other morphological features of tree crowns on 1254 first-level POPs with trees aged 40 years or more, including 148 second-level POPs.
2. Monitoring of forest floor vegetation and natural regeneration - assessment of the herbaceous species composition and natural regeneration on 148 second-level POPs was to register changes that underwent during the last five years.
3. Monitoring of the health of pine seeds - evaluations of seeds obtained from pine stands on 100 second-level POPs.
4. Entomological monitoring - estimation of the population densities of folivorous insects in the coniferous stands on ca. 1130 first-level POPs, including: nun moth (using pheromone traps), pine sawflies, beauty moth, pine looper moth, pine hawk moth, pine lappet, pine webworm (on the basis of autumn searches) and pine shoot beetles (on the basis of the collection of twigs damaged by pine shoot beetles). Moreover, the abundance of carabid beetles was assessed on the selected 39 second-level POPs.
5. Phytopathological monitoring - assessment of the phytopathological threat posed to forest by fungi causing dieback of Scots pine shoots and root pathogens and assessment of fungal infection of stumps was done on 148 first-level POPs.
6. Monitoring of pollutant deposition - measurement of air pollutants on 148 second-level POPs. Determination of concentrations of SO2 and NO2 using a passive method, as well pH and the chemical composition of precipitation waters: chemical analyses covered the following elements: Ca, K, Mg, Na, NH4, Cl, NO3, SO4, Al, Mn, Fe and heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn).
7. Monitoring of canopy throughfall and soil solutions - chemical analyses of samples collected on the second-level POP in the Chojnów Forest District in a two-week interval from 30 June to 30 December 2003. The samples came from the beneath-crown interceptors, throughfall water collectors and tensometers for collecting soil solutions.
8. Soil monitoring - preliminary processing of 888 soil samples from 148 second-level POPs (drying at temperature 40oC, grinding and screening) and analysis of soil pH in water and KCL suspension, as well as determination of the content of carbonates and hydrolytic acidity level.
The methodology of research programmes is to considerable extent harmonized with methodology recommended by the ICP-Forests (International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests) [14]. The methods of assessing biotic elements of forest ecosystems were developed by the team performing the ICP-Forests programme. A detailed description of measurements and methods applied in the forest monitoring programme in Poland is published in annual reports [20, 21, 22].