The analysis of the latest results along with the change analysis reveals that the conditions of Slovenia's forest are considerably stable and that the process of decline has not progressed with the intensity, that had been predicted in the early eighties. Quite favourable conditions are due to prompt actions (selection and sanitary cutting) in the field

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

Stimulation of photosynthesis by elevated CO2 has been consistently found for aspen but not for maple. Similar responses have been shown for growth. In contrast, O3 causes decreased levels of photosynthesis and growth in aspen but does not appear to impact sugar maple significantly. When the pollutants co-occur, CO2 induced enhancements in photosynthesis and growth are moderated so that trees in CO2 and O3 treatments respond similarly to those in control rings. In this presentation, we will provide a physiological interpretation of our results in modelling growth response under future atmospheric conditions

Ozone is a well-known phytotoxic agent causing damage to vegetation in parts of North America and Europe. Transboundary or long-range transport of ozone from Western Europe and the generation of ozone from local and regional precursors results in increasing ozone concentrations in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Carpathian Mountaians. Other air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and heavy metals may also affect the health of Carpathian forests. During the 2000-2002 summer seasons, concentrations of ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and ammonia were monitored with passive samplers. Results of those measurements will be used for development of GIS models of spatial and temporal distribution of air pollutants

Scientific concern over air pollution impacts on forest health and ecosystem function have evolved from local (point-source), to regional (area source) and ultimately to the global scale (increasing atmospheric CO2). All three scales of investigation remain relevant to increasing our understanding of how air pollution affects forests. Presently, linking air pollution with forest health status through routine monitoring network data remains problematic. In this paper we present a brief overview of air pollutant trends, together with recent European forest condition monitoring and FACE experimental case-study evidence to illustrate the need for multiple-level investigation of air pollutant-forest interactions

Major part of implemented measures was aimed at early artificial forest regeneration and securing plantations, or protection of young forest stands against damage by bark beetles. Only exceptionally there were proposed measures with the aim to increase vitality, stability and improvement of the structure of forest stands by their tending. It was worked out a draft of procedures for forest managers to help them in deciding at which stocking it is necessary to reforest reduced or actual clearings, whether to fell down open stands or to leave them regarding their age, state and expected further development

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

Interactions between atmospheric deposition and nutrient status or soil condition were studied using correlation analysis of the principal factors values for the year 1989. In case of both species, especially sulphur and calcium (factor 1) input is related to high foliar content of sulphur and calcium. The same influence can be detected for nitrogen (factor 3). Nitrogen inputs on Scots pine stands influenced the magnesium sufficient in a negative way

Spis region is due to long-term effect of air pollution one of the most polluted regions in Slovakia. Decline of trees, mostly of spruce, was recorded here altogether with disintegration of forest stands. Incidental felling and its volume is frequently connected with local source of air pollution from iron-ore works Rudnany and Kovohuty. Long-range transfer of air pollutants from Poland (Katowice) plays a certain role in air pollution as well. In the year 1994 the damaged stands were classified into the zones of endangerment, the period of the validity of forest management plan was shortened and there were proposed measures for forest regeneration