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