CCE Progress Report 2007 Page 123 of 201

CYPRUS (report submitted in 2006)

National Focal Centre Christos Malikkides Industrial Pollution Control Section Department of Labour Inspection Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance 12, Apellis Street 1493 Nicosia Tel. +357 22 405630 Fax +357 22 663788 cmalikkides@dli.mlsi.gov.cy

Calculation methods for critical loads of acidity and nutrient nitrogen and for dynamic modelling Cyprus provides an update of the national critical load data (steady-state mass balance approach), input data for the application of the dynamic model VSD, and resulting target load functions. Critical loads are calculated in accordance to the methods described in the Mapping Manual (UBA, 2004).

About 40 % of the area of Cyprus is covered by forests and other (semi-)natural vegetation for which critical loads of acidity and nutrient nitrogen are computed (see Table CY-1).

Table CY-1. Ecosystem types used as receptors for the critical loads approach.

CORINE LAND

COVER type

Precipi-tation

(mm/a)

Geological zone

Preferred soil groups/

parent materials

Dominant species

EUNIS-Code

323 >850 Troodos Terrane Eutric Cambisols from tectonized Harzburgites

Juniperus foetidissima

F7.4G Cyprian hedgehog-heaths

312 >850 Troodos Terrane Eutric Cambisols from Serpentinites

Pinus nigra G3.5 [Pinus nigra] woodland

312 <850 Troodos Terrane, Kyrenia Terrane

Eutric lithic Leptosols from Gabbro, Calcaric lithic Leptosols from Dolomitic limestone

Pinus brutia G3.75 [Pinus brutia] forests

323, 324,333

700-850 Troodos Terrane, Eutric lithic Leptosols from sheeted dykes (diabase)

Cedrus brevifolia G3.9C [Cedrus] woodland

311, 313 400-800 Troodos and Mamonia Terranes

Eutric lithic Leptosols from diabase dykes

Quercus ilex (ssp. alnifolia)

G2.136 Cyprian [Quercus alnifolia] forests

323, 324,333

700-850 Kyrenia Terrane Calcaric lithic Leptosols from Dolomitic limestone

Cupressus sempervirens

G3.91 Western Palaearctic [Cupressus] forests

323, 324,333

550-700 Troodos Terrane Kyrenia Terrane

Eutric lithic Leptosols from sheeted dykes (diabase), Calcaric lithic Leptosols from Dolomitic limestone

Cupressus sempervirens

G3.91 Western Palaearctic [Cupressus] forests

323, 324, 333, 334

0-550 Kyrenia Terrane Calcaric leptic Regosols from greywacke

Juniperus phoenicea

F5.132 [Juniperus phoenicea] arborescent matorral

323, 324, 331 333, 334

400-550 Circum Troodos sedimentary succession and

Skeletic calcaric Regosols from Chalks, marls

Cistus creticus/ Genista fasselata

F5.24 Low [Cistus] maquis

Page 124 of 201 CCE Progress Report 2007

CORINE LAND

COVER type

Precipi-tation

(mm/a)

Geological zone

Preferred soil groups/

parent materials

Dominant species

EUNIS-Code

Mamonia Terrane

323, 324, 331, 332, 333, 334

0-400

Circum Troodos sedimentary succession and Mamonia Terrane

Calcic Luvisols from alluvial sands, silts, gravels and clays

Thymus capitatus/ Sarcopoterium spinosum

F7.341 Cyprian phrygana

311,313 0-950 Riverine Calcaric fluvic Cambisols from alluvial sands, silts, gravels and clays

Alnus orientalis G1.385

Cyprian plane forests

311,313 0-950 Riverine Gleyic Solonchaks Platanus orientalis

G1.385 Cyprian plane forests

323, 324, 333

400-450 Troodos Terrane Mamonia Terrane

Eutric lithic Leptosols from sheeted dykes (diabase), Skeletic calcaric Regosols from Chalks, marls

Olea europaea G2.41 Wild Olea europaea woodland

321 0-950 everywhere all dry soils Bromus spec E1.332

Helleno-Balkanic short grass and therophyte communities

323, 324, 333, 332, 334, 421, 512, 523

- azonal Gleyic Solonchalks Juncus acutus/Salicornia europaea

A2.652

Mediterranean coastal halo-nitrophilous pioneer communities

The Cyprus critical load database consists of 16 247 records. A detailed description of the data and the methods for derivation is given in Table CY-2.

The calculation of acceptable leaching of nitrogen based on values given in Table CY-3 to avoid nutrient imbalances or vegetation changes.

Critical loads of acidity, CLmaxS

The highest critical loads of acidity with values 8-15 keq ha–1a–1 are observed in the Troodos Mountains. Less sensitive soils (eutric leptosols from diabase) are combined with medium high weathering rates of base cations and relatively high precipitation surplus. Also high critical loads (about 7–10 keq ha–1a–1) are located in the Pentadactylos mountains, including the Karpasia region. The lowest critical loads (<4-5 keq ha–1a–1) have to be allocated to the lowlands between Pentadactylos and Troodos from Morfou to Ammochostos (including the Mesaoria region), the lowlands around Larnaca Bay.

Table CY-2. National critical load database and calculation methods / approaches.

Parameter Term Unit Description

CLmaxS eq ha-1 a-1 Manual, equation 5.22 CLminN eq ha-1 a-1 Manual, equation 5.25

Critical load of acidity

CLmaxN eq ha-1 a-1 Manual, equation 5.26 Critical load of nutrient nitrogen

CLnutN eq ha-1 a-1 Manual, equation 5.5 including nitrogen loss by fire (Nfire) (see CCE Progress Report 2004, p. 62)

Acid neutralisation capacity leaching

nANCcrit eq ha-1 a-1 Manual; the minimum value of the following approaches using different chemical criteria was taken for the calculation (crittype)

CCE Progress Report 2007 Page 125 of 201

1 [Al]:[Bc] 2 [Al] 4 pH

equation 5.31 derived from Alle(crit) in equation 5.32-5.34 by Alle/Qle equation 5.35 (see CCE Progress Report 2004, p. 62: Table CY-3)

Acceptable nitrogen leaching

Nleacc eq ha-1 a-1 Manual, equation 5.6; [N]crit see Table CY-3

Thickness of the soil layer

thick m reference profile for soil type unit (regarding actually rooted zone, depending on vegetation) (Soil Geographical Database of Euro-Mediterranean Countries /Soil map of Cyprus 1999/Corine Land Cover 2005)

Bulk density of the soil bulkdens g cm-3 reference profile for soil type unit (Soil Geographical Database of Euro-Mediterranean Countries /Soil map of Cyprus 1999)

Bc and Cl deposition Cadep, Mgdep, Kdep, Nadep, Cldep

eq ha-1 a-1 wet and dry deposition data for the year 2003-2005 at Level-II-sites (Cyprus Department of Forest 2006)

Weathering of base cations

Cawe; Mgwe and Kwe = 0

eq ha-1 a-1 Manual, equation 5.39, Manual, Table 5.12-5.14 weighted mean for actually rooted zone

Gibbsite equilibrium constant

Kalox m6 eq-2 300

Nitrogen immobilisation Nimm eq ha-1 a-1 temperature dependent, CCE-Status Report 2001, p. 142, Table DE-7

Denitrification Nde eq ha-1 a-1 Manual, equation 5.4 site specific according to dead pore content

Weathering of Na Nawe eq ha-1 a-1 Manual chapter 5.3 p. 23 Nitrogen uptake by vegetation

Nupt eq ha-1 a-1 Manual, equation 5.7, 5.8 (stem and bark) Manual, Table 5.8 (element contents), Jacobsen et al., 2002

Uptake of base cations by vegetation

Caupt; Mgupt and Kupt = 0

eq ha-1 a-1 Manual, equation 5.7, 5.8 (stem and bark) Manual, Table 5.8 (element contents), Jacobsen et al., 2002

Amount of water percolating through the root zone

Qle mm a-1 Meteorological survey of Cyprus 1991-2003 Manual chapter 5.5: equation 5.91b

Table CY-3. [N]crit values (according to Mapping Manual Table 5.7).

vegetation type [N]crit

deciduous forest 0.02760 coniferous forest 0.01430 mixed forest 0.02142 natural and semi-natural vegetation outside forest 0.02142

Pliocene biocalcarenites and alluvial sands, silts and gravels have a medium potential weathering rate of base cations. But garique vegetation growing there does not take advantage of cycling this supply in the soil because of the small rooting zone. Simultaneously the annual precipitation surplus is near zero, therefore the leaching of ANC is very low. In the Mammonia Terrain (from Lemesos to Pafos, including the Akamas region) medium critical loads are obtained (5-8 keq ha–1a–1), because of the medium precipitation surplus. The regional distribution of critical loads of acidity is shown in Figure CY-1 and the statistical classification of sensitivity is given by Table CY-4.

Page 126 of 201 CCE Progress Report 2007

Table CY-4. Statistical classification of receptor sensitivity for critical loads of acidity, CLmaxS.

CLmaxS sensitivity classes

(eq ha-1 a-1)

Percentage of the sensitivity classes to total receptor area

(%)

Percentage of the sensitivity classes to the total area of

Cyprus (%) < 4000 0.64 0.27

4000-5000 12.72 5.38 5000-6000 18.91 8.00 6000-7000 29.80 12.61 7000-8000 21.60 9.14 8000-9000 8.40 3.56

9000-10000 4.60 1.95 >10 000 3.33 1.41

100.00 42.32

Figure CY-1. Regional distribution of critical loads of acidity, CLmaxS, in Cyprus.

Critical loads of nutrient nitrogen, CLnutN

In contrast to the insensitivity concerning acid inputs the critical loads of nutrient nitrogen underline the necessity to protect ecosystems in Cyprus from anthropogenic nitrogen inputs. Similar to the critical loads of acidity the Troodos mountains have also high critical loads of nutrient nitrogen (about 7-10 kg N ha–1a–1). A significant uptake by harvesting of the Calabrian pine is accompanied by relatively high precipitation surplus. Medium high critical loads (6-9 kg ha–1a–1) are located in the Pentadactylos mountains, including the Karpasia region. Calcareous soils from limestone could cause a high growth rate, but trees are not harvested in this region. The lowest critical loads values (1.5-3 kg ha–1a–1) are observed in the Kommandaria region, in the lowlands between Pentadactylos and Troodos and from Morfou to Ammochostos (including the Mesaoria and Solea region), in the lowlands around Lanarca Bay and from Lemosos to Pafos (including Akamas region). Pliocene biocalcarenites and alluvial sands, silts and gravels have a medium high nutrient supply, but maquis and garique vegetation are not able to use this because of missing precipitation in the lowlands. The regional distribution of critical loads of nutrient nitrogen is shown in Figure CY-2 and the statistical classification of sensitivity is given by Table CY-5.

CCE Progress Report 2007 Page 127 of 201

Figure CY-2. Regional distribution of critical loads of nutrient nitrogen, CLnutN, in Cyprus.

Table CY-5. Statistical classification of sensitivity for critical loads of nutrient nitrogen, CLnutN.

CLnutN sensitivity classes

(kg ha-1 a-1)

Percentage of the sensitivity classes to total

receptor area (%)

Percentage of the sensitivity classes to the total area of

Cyprus (%) < 2 0.71 0.30 2-3 11.49 4.87 3-4 28.23 11.94 4-5 19.86 8.41 5-6 1.22 0.52 6-7 0.26 0.11 7-8 0.10 0.04 8-9 33.82 14.31 9-10 3.84 1.62 >10 0.47 0.20

100.00 42.32

Status of dynamic modelling and target load calculation in Cyprus

The model VSD was used to calculate the geochemical dynamic and, in case of violation of critical limits, to calculate target loads. All receptor sites used in the Critical Load approach with SMB, were calculated with VSD. Since no site is affected by acidic deposition, because every site is in a ‘safe’ basic state now and in future, there is no target load to calculate.

No. of Sites Sites calculated with SMB: 16 247 Sites calculated with VSD 16 247 Results for all sites: Sites safe and non-exceedance at present: 16 247 Target loads values present in table ‘targetloads’ 0

Page 128 of 201 CCE Progress Report 2007

References Christou A (Ministry of Agriculture natural Resources and Environment of Republic of Cyprus, Department of Forests) (2004) Information

on Level I and Level II plots established in Cyprus Cyprus contribution to the Soil Geographical Database of Euro-Mediterranean countries at scale 1:1,000,000, version 4.0. EEA (2000) European Environment Agency: CORINE Land Cover 2000 Markides L (Ministry of Agriculture natural Resources and Environment of Republic of Cyprus, A. O. of Land and Water Use Section)

(1999a) Soil Map of Cyprus 1:250,000 Meteorological Services of Cyprus (2005) Meteorological Survey at 220 meteorological stations (temperature and precipitation) 1991-2003 UBA (2004) Manual on Methodologies and Criteria for Modelling and Mapping Critical Loads & Levels and Air Pollution Effects, Risks

and Trends, Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt) Berlin, UBA-Texte 52/04 www.icpmapping.org