Heavy metals and nitrogen in mosses: spatial patterns in 2010/11 and long-term temporal trends (1990-2010) in Europe

The present report, prepared by the International Cooperative Programme on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops, was drafted in response to the request of the Executive Body for the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, as set out in the 2012–2013 workplan for the Implementation of the Convention (ECE/EB.AIR/109/Add.2, item 3.5, ongoing activities, para. (c)). It provides an analysis of heavy metal and nitrogen concentrations in mosses in 2010/11 and long-term temporal trends for heavy metals since 1990 and for nitrogen since 2005 in Europe. The moss data provide field-based evidence of the deposition of heavy metal and nitrogen pollution to vegetation.