Soil & Soil Solution

The Expert Panel on Soil and Solution safeguards the quality of the soil and soil solution data. They agree on harmonised and standardised methods which are laid down in periodically updated ICP Forests Manuals.

The experts work actively towards integrative data evaluations and scientific publications. The solid soil is described and characterised at the start of long-term monitoring. Repeated soil sampling till a depth of 80 cm, is conducted every 10 years in order to assess long-term changes in soil acidity, carbon, macro -and micronutrients and heavy metals.

Soil solution is collected at Level II plots under the uppermost organic layer and at two depths in the mineral soil. Nutrient and heavy metal concentrations of the collected samples are determined to get an understanding of their availability to the forest ecosystem and their susceptibility to leaching deeper in the soil system.