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The situation of forest damage in the Federal Republic of Germany (Die woldschadensituation in der Bundersrepublik deutschland)
271
The report prepared under the auspices of the National Research Council describes the findings of recent research on the causes and effects of stratospheric ozone, thus updating the information contained in the former report in the NRC series (1982 update). Part I deals with changes in the atmosphere and perturbations to stratospheric ozone, including new views about ozone chemistry. An illustration of how these views change: the "1983 c h e m i s t r y " predicts, at 20 km height, ten million times less ozone reduction for the same a m o u n t of chlorofluorocarbon release, than predicted by the " 1 9 7 9 chemistry". This is but one illustration of the uncertainties surrounding the stratospheric ozone problem. The report does n o t conceal the uncertainties: on the contrary, one of its purposes is to draw attention to them. Its other purpose is to conclude each chapter with adequate research recommendations to diminish the field of uncertainties. Part II focusses exclusively on the effects of increased UV-B radiation due to reductions in total ozone. The main recommendation concerning effects of UV-B radiation on plants and vegetation as ecosystem components is: "Since most of the work so far has been done in controlled and simulated environments, it is absolutely necessary to increase the small amount (italics M.B.) of experimentation being done under actual field conditions". (p. 217). It is noteworthy t h a t most researchers believe t h a t surface-living marine organisms are currently at the upper level of tolerance to UV radiation. The volume contains a number of references -- exclusively papers published in English and with utter neglect of work accomplished outside the American continent. In contrast to the excellent subject index of the Guderian volume, the NRC has none.
Bretigny-sur-Orge (France)
Michel Benarie
The Situation o f Forest Damage in the Federal Republic o f Germany (Die Waldschadensituation in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland), in German, VDIKommission der Reinhaltung der Luft, 1985, P.O. Box 1139, D-4000 Dusseldorf 1, F.R.G., 189 pp. Price: DM 16.50. Since the early 1980s, alarming news about forest decline has been forthcoming from an approximately elliptical area in Europe between the Rhine and Vienna and between the 47th and 52nd parallels. The extent of tree decay was, at the outset, either over- or under-estimated, because of the lack of generally accepted definitions about the manner in which this unspecific (i.e. not readily linked with some identifiable source such as nearby pollution, tree blight, parasites or insects) damage should be assessed, reported and measured. This volume contains briefly (pp. 127 -- 175) the criteria agreed upon for the assessment of this unspecific forest injury as defined by the Germa~ Federal Forest Damage Assessment (TWI = terrestrisches Waldschaden-.
272 inventur) with consideration to statistical and human errors. These methods are now applied in the Federal Republic of Germany with the following results for 1983 and 1984. The damages are expressed in per cent of the forested surface.
Slightly damaged Medium damage Heavy damage q- complete necrosis Total
1983
1984
25 9 1.0 34
33 16 1.5 50
The worst affected seem to be fir trees (Abies), of which 87% show some degree of injury -- with the notable exception of the " L a n d e r " of Hamburg and Berlin (West), where no fir injury has been reported (Table 5, page 20 and The Science of the Total Environment, 43 (1985) 185-186), contrasting with some damage observed in other tree species. The volume contains, region by region, the comparative situation of German forests in 1983 and 1984. An essential reference for everybody genuinely interested in research about the real causes of forest decay.
Bretigny-sur-Orge (France)
Michel Benarie
Historical Monitoring (MARC Report Number 31), Monitoring and Assessm e n t Centre, The Octagon Building, 459A Fulham Road, L o n d o n SWl0 0QX, U K., pp. Price: £20.00/US $30.00. Our environment is ever changing. Its present and future cannot be understood w i t h o u t reference to its past. The past has left multiple clues in sediments, ice cores, peat, tree rings, soils, etc., and even museum specimens, h u m a n remains and the paper of old books may contain information about past pollutant concentrations. The introduction of a time dimension into pollution studies is deeply rooted in stratigraphic geology and hence it is n o t easy to delineate "historical m o n i t o r i n g " from other disciplines such as palynology. This volume clearly draws the line at what is today considered a chemical pollutant. The volume brings critically together widely dispersed literature n o t hitherto available in one place. Complications inherent in the interpretation of results obtained from marine and lake sediments, ice masses, peats, tree rings and animal and plant remains are thoroughly discussed. A few of these difficulties are: how far a particular concentration in the sample reflects the ambient level at the time of its formation? Can one separate the natural background noise from trends produced by h u m a n influence?
The report prepared under the auspices of the National Research Council describes the findings of recent research on the causes and effects of stratospheric ozone, thus updating the information contained in the former report in the NRC series (1982 update). Part I deals with changes in the atmosphere and perturbations to stratospheric ozone, including new views about ozone chemistry. An illustration of how these views change: the "1983 c h e m i s t r y " predicts, at 20 km height, ten million times less ozone reduction for the same a m o u n t of chlorofluorocarbon release, than predicted by the " 1 9 7 9 chemistry". This is but one illustration of the uncertainties surrounding the stratospheric ozone problem. The report does n o t conceal the uncertainties: on the contrary, one of its purposes is to draw attention to them. Its other purpose is to conclude each chapter with adequate research recommendations to diminish the field of uncertainties. Part II focusses exclusively on the effects of increased UV-B radiation due to reductions in total ozone. The main recommendation concerning effects of UV-B radiation on plants and vegetation as ecosystem components is: "Since most of the work so far has been done in controlled and simulated environments, it is absolutely necessary to increase the small amount (italics M.B.) of experimentation being done under actual field conditions". (p. 217). It is noteworthy t h a t most researchers believe t h a t surface-living marine organisms are currently at the upper level of tolerance to UV radiation. The volume contains a number of references -- exclusively papers published in English and with utter neglect of work accomplished outside the American continent. In contrast to the excellent subject index of the Guderian volume, the NRC has none.
Bretigny-sur-Orge (France)
Michel Benarie
The Situation o f Forest Damage in the Federal Republic o f Germany (Die Waldschadensituation in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland), in German, VDIKommission der Reinhaltung der Luft, 1985, P.O. Box 1139, D-4000 Dusseldorf 1, F.R.G., 189 pp. Price: DM 16.50. Since the early 1980s, alarming news about forest decline has been forthcoming from an approximately elliptical area in Europe between the Rhine and Vienna and between the 47th and 52nd parallels. The extent of tree decay was, at the outset, either over- or under-estimated, because of the lack of generally accepted definitions about the manner in which this unspecific (i.e. not readily linked with some identifiable source such as nearby pollution, tree blight, parasites or insects) damage should be assessed, reported and measured. This volume contains briefly (pp. 127 -- 175) the criteria agreed upon for the assessment of this unspecific forest injury as defined by the Germa~ Federal Forest Damage Assessment (TWI = terrestrisches Waldschaden-.
272 inventur) with consideration to statistical and human errors. These methods are now applied in the Federal Republic of Germany with the following results for 1983 and 1984. The damages are expressed in per cent of the forested surface.
Slightly damaged Medium damage Heavy damage q- complete necrosis Total
1983
1984
25 9 1.0 34
33 16 1.5 50
The worst affected seem to be fir trees (Abies), of which 87% show some degree of injury -- with the notable exception of the " L a n d e r " of Hamburg and Berlin (West), where no fir injury has been reported (Table 5, page 20 and The Science of the Total Environment, 43 (1985) 185-186), contrasting with some damage observed in other tree species. The volume contains, region by region, the comparative situation of German forests in 1983 and 1984. An essential reference for everybody genuinely interested in research about the real causes of forest decay.
Bretigny-sur-Orge (France)
Michel Benarie
Historical Monitoring (MARC Report Number 31), Monitoring and Assessm e n t Centre, The Octagon Building, 459A Fulham Road, L o n d o n SWl0 0QX, U K., pp. Price: £20.00/US $30.00. Our environment is ever changing. Its present and future cannot be understood w i t h o u t reference to its past. The past has left multiple clues in sediments, ice cores, peat, tree rings, soils, etc., and even museum specimens, h u m a n remains and the paper of old books may contain information about past pollutant concentrations. The introduction of a time dimension into pollution studies is deeply rooted in stratigraphic geology and hence it is n o t easy to delineate "historical m o n i t o r i n g " from other disciplines such as palynology. This volume clearly draws the line at what is today considered a chemical pollutant. The volume brings critically together widely dispersed literature n o t hitherto available in one place. Complications inherent in the interpretation of results obtained from marine and lake sediments, ice masses, peats, tree rings and animal and plant remains are thoroughly discussed. A few of these difficulties are: how far a particular concentration in the sample reflects the ambient level at the time of its formation? Can one separate the natural background noise from trends produced by h u m a n influence?