Progress in the modelling of critical thresholds, impacts on plant species diversity and ecosystem services in Europe. CCE Status report 2009

The CCE Status Report 2009 demonstrates that effects of air pollution and the change of climate and biodiversity are interrelated. The report focuses on modelling methodologies and empirical knowledge addressing effects of nitrogen deposition. It shows that the risk of eutrophication is widespread in terms of critical load exceedance, expected time delays of recovery as well as, tentatively, changes of species richness.

It confirms that climate change can reinforce recovery of acidified forest soils in Europe. It asserts that the reduction of nitrogen deposition since 1980 had a positive effect on biodiversity, and on the quality of soil and water, but a negative effect on global warming. It shows how to simulate the relationship between nitrogen deposition and the ensuing composition of the plant community while keeping track of the change of climate and land use.

The report underpins the need for a review and revision of European nitrogen empirical critical loads and dose-response relationships in the UN year of biodiversity 2010. Finally, it proposes a number of indicators and modelling methodologies that have the capability of providing effect based support to policies that are aimed at mitigating air pollution and the change of biodiversity and climate in an integrated manner.