MPI - Metal Pollution Index is being proposed with an aim improving the freshwater pollution control, monitoring and classification based on fish metal body burden. This is a simple mathematical model which enables presentation of Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Al fish liver concentration as a single value. After thorough studies of bioaccumulation, biomagnification and tissue distribution patterns, liver of Carassius auratus gibelio has been chosen as sentinel organ. Normal distribution and biological variation assessment is being achieved by using normalizers - reference values (liver concentrations of selected elements in fish from reference sites Vruje and Moharac micro water reservoirs, Serbia (Yugoslavia)). Selected representative sites have been evaluated according to new classification of freshwater ecosystem based on MPI values.

The paper presents results of the hydroecological investigations of the Vlasina river basin, Serbia (Yugoslavia). The researches were performed in May and September 1996, as a part an annual investigation cycle. Samples were collected from five localities on the Vlasina river, and on two spots on its main tributaries - the Gradska river and Luznica, just before entering into the Vlasina. Qualitative and quantitative data on composition of phyto- and zooplankton, periphytic and benthic communities together with data obtained from physico-chemical water examinations were analysed to assess water quality of examined water courses. The results of performed monitoring were compared with informations on the sources of pollution, as well as with the data on hydrology, geomorphology, demographic variations, and recent development of tourism and industry in the Region in order to assess environmental quality of aquatic ecosystem and to suggest the conservation strategy.

Following the objective to provide an overview on the spatial and temporal variation in forest condition on a European scale, an extensive systematic survey on more than 6000 so called Level I plots throughout Europe is carried out. Results show a recuparation of crown condition in the mid nineties and a resuming deterioration with nearly a quarter of the sample trees classified as damaged in 2001. Results of statistical evaluations explain the observed variation mainly by weather extremes, insects, fungi and indirect effects of air pollutants via soil acidification or changes in the nutritional status of trees

Investigation of air pollution impact on tree condition indicates the greatest correlation between pine defoliation and SO2, SO4 and NH4 concentration in the air, NH4 load with precipitation and its pH in the eastern part of Lithuania. In the southern part significant correlation was found between defoliation and SO4 concentration in the air and SO4, NH4 load with precipitation and its pH. No significant correlation was found in the western region of the country, which includes seaside part. Tree age and tree development classes have an essential effect on the correlation significance

Passive samplers offer considerable advantages for measuring ozone (O3) concentrations in remote areas. Measurements with passive samplers typically result in data about weekly-to-monthly O3 concentrations, which are not consistent with the definitions of cumulative indices currently being used to estimate the exposure of vegetation to O3. For this reason, attempts were and are being made to develop statistical and empirical methods to estimate exposure indices like the AOT40 adopted in Europe (O3 Accumulated Over Threshold 40 ppb) starting from mean concentrations obtained from passive samplers. This paper describes an empirical method adopted in Italy to estimate 1996-2000 AOT40 values at 20 forest sites of the Italian network of intensive monitoring of forest ecosystems

Forest health condition was evaluated on 111 terrestrial permanent monitoring plots. Image classification for the whole region was done by using regression equation between data from the terrestrial survey and digital value of original and derived synthetic bands of Landsat TM. It was found that synthetic channels give better result than original bands. The change analysis was carried out by the method of image diffferences in image pairs. Output images were standardized and than reclassified into 6 classes. It was found that difference of vegetation indexes between two years gives better result than simple difference between two independent classified images of forest condition

A FORest Monitoring System (FORMS) has been implemented in Denmark in order to gain and deliver knowledge and information for operational and strategic decisions concerning nature and environment. FORMS integrate four national monitoring programmes. Forest condition monitoring is performed on 52 permanent plots distributed on a 16 x 16 km grid. FORMS gives a systematic and representative assessment of the resources in and development of the forests in Denmark, includes the monitoring of important processes in the forest ecosystem and follows the use of forest for recreational purposes

The present paper presents a list of probabilistic sampling procedures and subsequent statistical analysis, which may achieve this goal without a considerable increase of field effort

The results indicate that it is possible to reach a good level of reproducibility in a relatively short time. However, quality assurance procedures allow to know the real status of reliability of the field data. More attention must be given to the Level II indices, to select the really useful and informative ones, and to concentrate on these the didactic efforts