Needle and leaf analyses provide information about the nutritional status of forest trees as well as the uptake and accumulation of individual pollutants and heavy metals. Leaf nutrient concentrations serve as indicators (bioindicators) for assessing current conditions and processes in forest ecosystems, such as tree vitality (nutrient uptake and disorders), soil fertility (base deficiency, acidity), or air quality (increased pollutant levels of sulfur, nitrogen, or heavy metals).

Assessed parameters:

• Leaf quantity and mass
• leaf chemistry (element concentrations)