Since the beginning of the 80's, a wide-spread damage to Norway spruce has occurred, mainly characterized by the light-induced decay of chlorophyll in magnesium-deficient needles. Damage also occurs in deciduous trees, especially in beech. To clarify the causes of the damage in Northrine-Wesphalian forests, extensive investigations have been carried out, which combined experimental techniques and epidemiologically orientated surveys.

Climate change effects on forest soils will occur directly on soils or indirectly through effects on tree growth. Increases in soil temperature will cause an increase in soil respiration and decomposition and many increase rates of mineral weathering and ion exchange reactions. Forest soils represent a major sink for C and increased productivity in response to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide will lead to an increase in c storage in forest ecosystems. Changes in forest productivity will have significant effects on forest soils, included water use, soil moisture status and nutrient cycling.

The area of productive woodland in the UK has been increasing steadily since 1950, generally at about 20-30 thousand hectares per year. The current forest estate covers 2,1 million hectares, the annual growth in the total stored carbon in wood is 2,0 million tonnes. The annual UK output of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels is 162 million tonnes.

Depending on their concentrations, air pollutants are dangerous to forests. With the exception of some industrial areas in the east, concentrations of air pollutants in Central Europe are below the damaging threshold as shown by the records of the monitoring stations.

Calcium avaiability to forests has been shown to be reduced by acidic deposition in several ways including: increased leaching from foliage, increased leaching from soils, and decreased availability from poorly buffered soils when aluminium is mobilized. Studies documented that acidic deposition has altered the growth and vigour of red spruce during the past three decades by changing calcium availability.

Deposition rates in Baden-Wuerttemberg, which are monitored by sampling grid, mostly exceed critical loads. This applies especially for nitrogen input and the deposition of total acidity. In a periodic inventory of tree nutrition on a basic grid of 4 km, regions abundant and persistent Mg and K deficiency could be identified.