APIENs Networks

Description

The UK’s long-term, integrated environmental monitoring and research programme. It collects, analyses and interprets a wide range of long-term data from a network of sites.
ECN terrestrial sites There are 11 active terrestrial sites, ranging from upland to lowland and covering a wide range of habitats including semi-natural grassland, woodland, moorland, peatland and arable cropland.
ECN freshwater sites The freshwater component of ECN comprises both lakes and rivers/streams. Data from the majority of these sites are collected by the environment agencies in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales as part of their statutory duty to monitor water bodies under the Water Framework Directive. eLTER Four ECN sites are also location for Long-Term Experiments (LTEs) Website available at: https://ecn.ac.uk/

Variables - Air Quality Precipitation chemistry (bulk wet deposition):

weekly NO2: weekly NH3 (from UKEAP NAMN): monthly

Protocol for the Air Variables: http://www.ecn.ac.uk/measurements/terrestrial

Variables - Vegetation

Coarse grain monitoring (VC): 9 year surveys fine grain monitoring (VF): Maximum of 3 year surveys Woodland (VW): Maximum of 3 year surveys

Protocol for the Vegetation Variables: http://www.ecn.ac.uk/measurements/terrestrial

Variables - Water Chemistry

Surface water temperature and water chemistry (lakes, rivers, streams)

Protocol for the Water Chemsitry Variables: http://www.ecn.ac.uk/measurements/freshwater

Variables - Water Biology

Epilithic diatoms and macro-invertebrates

Protocol for the Water Biology Variables: http://www.ecn.ac.uk/measurements/freshwater

Other Variables

Meteorology

Protocol for Other Variables: http://www.ecn.ac.uk/measurements/terrestrial/m

Collaborators

It is a multi-agency programme sponsored by a consortium of fourteen government departments and agencies. These organisations contribute to the programme through funding either site monitoring and/or network co-ordination activities. These organisations are: Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru - Natural Resources Wales, Defence Science & Technology Laboratory, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Llywodraeth Cymru - Welsh Government, Natural England, Natural Environment Research Council, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage.

Funding Bodies

Description

Set up to monitor the chemical and ecological response of acid-sensitive waters (streams and lakes) to reductions in the emissions of SO2 and NOx. Six UWMN sites contributes data annually to the UNECE ICP Waters programme.

Website available at: https://uwmn.uk/

Variables - Water Chemistry

Streams: monthly, Lakes: 3 monthly, pH, alkalinity, conductivity, Ca2+, Mg2+,Na+,K+, acid anions (SO42-, Cl-, NO3-), aluminium (total, labile stopped in 2016), dissolved organic carbon, nutrients (phosphate, silica)

Variables - Water Biology

Annual Epilithic diatoms (Samples since 2015 archived but not yet counted), Macroinvertebrates (Samples since 2015 archived but not yet counted), Aquatic macrophytes: Annual to 3-yearly, Salmonids (stopped in 2015)

Funding Bodies

Description

Its aim is to develop a cost-effective network of sites to provide evidence on the effects of changing climate, air pollution and land management on on some of the most valuable habitats in England.

Variables - Air Quality

2009 - 2014: NH3 (Diffusion tubes): monthly Precipitation chemistry with WSL design bulk rain collectors: monthly. Air quality from 2017 provided by UKEAP

Variables - Vegetation

Vegetation 4-yearly

Collaborators

Natural England, UKCEH, Met office

Funding Bodies

Description

The UK National Ammonia Monitoring Network (NAMN) is one of four component networks in the UK Eutrophying and Acidifying atmospheric Pollutants (UKEAP) network that measures air pollutants at rural sites across the UK. The NAMN provides a long-term dataset of monthly speciated measurements of ammonia gas (NH3) and particulate ammonium (NH4+).
NAMN data are used to produce annual concentration and dry deposition maps of nitrogen (N) from reduced N pollutants (NH3 and NH4+). The monthly data also provides information on temporal and spatial patterns and trends to inform policies. Data from all four component networks of UKEAP are used to map exceedance of critical loads (acidity and eutrophication). This information is submitted to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) Working group for abatement strategy development and is used as a policy tool on the APIS (Air Pollution Information System) website with a searchable database and information on pollutants and their impacts on habitats and species.

Website available at: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=nh3

Variables - Air Quality

Atmospheric ammonia (NH3) gas Particulate ammonium (NH4+)

Protocol for the Air Variables: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/services/air-samplers https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=nh3

Funding Bodies

Collaborators

Ricardo, Bureau Veritas, Natural England, network of local site operators

Description

The UK Acid Gas and Aerosol monitoring Network (AGANet) is one of four component networks in the UK Eutrophying and Acidifying atmospheric Pollutants (UKEAP) network that measures air pollutants at rural sites across the UK. The AGANet provides a long-term dataset of monthly speciated measurements of gases (HNO3, SO2, HCl (stopped in 2017)) and aerosols (NO3-, SO4=, Cl-, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+).
AGANet data are used to produce annual concentration and dry deposition maps of nitrogen (N) from oxidised N pollutants (HNO3 and NO3-) and of sulphur (SO2 and SO42-). The monthly data provides information on temporal, spatial patterns and trends, as well as information on particulate matter (PM) composition and changes in the chemical climate, to inform policies. Data from all four component networks of UKEAP are used to map exceedance of critical loads (acidity and eutrophication). This information is submitted to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) Working group for abatement strategy development and is used as a policy tool on the APIS (Air Pollution Information System) website with a searchable database and information on pollutants and their impacts on habitats and species.

Website available at: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=aganet

Variables - Air Quality

Monthly inorganic gases (NH3, HNO3, SO2) (HCl discontinued since Jan17)). Inorganic aerosol composition (NH4+, NO3-, SO42-, Cl-, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+).
Protocol for the Air Variables: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/services/air-samplers https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=aganet

Funding Bodies

Description

The UK Precipitation Network (Precip-Net) is one of four component networks in the UK Eutrophying and Acidifying atmospheric Pollutants (UKEAP) network that measures air pollutants at rural sites across the UK. The Precip-net provides long-term precipitation chemistry data which is used in atmopsheric tranport models to map wet deposition of the different chemical species measured across the UK. The 2-weekly data provides information on temporal and spatial patterns and trends, to inform policies. Data from all four component networks of UKEAP are used to map exceedance of critical loads (acidity and eutrophication). This information is submitted to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) Working group for abatement strategy development and is used as a policy tool on the APIS (Air Pollution Information System) website with a searchable database and information on pollutants and their impacts on habitats and species.

Website available at: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=precip-net

Variables - Air Quality

Precipitation chemistry
Protocol for the Air Variables: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=precip-net

Funding Bodies

Collaborators

UKCEH, Bureau Veritas, Natural England, network of local site operators

Description

The UK rural NO2 diffusion tube Precipitation Network (NO2-Net) is one of four component networks in the UK Eutrophying and Acidifying atmospheric Pollutants (UKEAP) network that measures air pollutants at rural sites across the UK. The NO2 measurements from NO2-net are used to produce the rural background NOx concentrations field in PCM (Pollutant Climate Modelling) air quality compliance modelling. Data from all four component networks of UKEAP are used to map exceedance of critical loads (acidity and eutrophication). This information is submitted to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) Working group for abatement strategy development and is used as a policy tool on the APIS (Air Pollution Information System) website with a searchable database and information on pollutants and their impacts on habitats and species.

Website available at: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=no2-net

Variables - Air Quality

NO2
Protocol for the Air Variables: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=no2-net

Funding Bodies

Collaborators

UKCEH, Bureau Veritas, Natural England, network of local site operators

Description

The UK’s two CLRTAP EMEP Level II sites are part of the UK Eutrophying and Acidifying atmospheric Pollutants (UKEAP) network that measures air pollutants at rural sites

Website available at: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=no2-net

Other Variables

Weather data Hourly measurement of gases and major ions in PM2.5 and PM10

Funding Bodies

Description

The AURN is the UK’s largest automatic monitoring network and is the main network used for compliance reporting against the Ambient Air Quality Directives. It includes automatic air quality monitoring stations measuring oxides of nitrogen (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO) and particles (PM10, PM2.5). These sites provide high resolution hourly information which is communicated rapidly to the public, using a wide range of electronic, media and web platforms.

Website available at: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=aurn

Variables - Air Quality

Nox (NO, NO2), SO2, PM2.5, PM10, Ozone
Protocol for the Air Variables: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/monitoring-methods?view=eu-standards

Other Variables

Weather data (monitored and modelled)

Responsible Organisations

The AURN is contracted to Bureau Veritas, whilst the Imperial College has been appointed as Management Unit for the London Air Quality Network (LAQN). Ricardo Energy & Environment undertakes the role of Quality Assurance and Control Unit (QA/QC Unit) for the entire AURN. The responsibility for operating individual monitoring sites is assigned to local organisations, such as local authority Environmental Health Officers with relevant experience in the field. Calibration gases for the network are supplied by BOC Limited and are provided with a UKAS certificate of calibration by Ricardo Energy & Environment.

Funding Bodies

Collaborators

UKCEH, Ricardo EE, NPL, network of local site operators

Description

Network linking long-term measurements of land-atmosphere C flux to downstream fluxes of particulate, dissolved and gaseous forms of C in rivers.

Website available at: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/carbon-catchment-sites and http://www.icos-etc.eu/icos/home

Variables - Air Quality

Land-atmosphere carbon flux (eddy covariance and chamber methods), Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and aquatic C flux, Dissolved and particulate organic carbon fluxes using optical sensors.
Protocol for the Air Variables: http://www.icos-etc.eu/icos/documents/instructions

Variables - Vegetation

Canopy height, biomass, green arae index Protocol for the Vegetation Variables: http://www.icos-etc.eu/icos/documents/instructions

Other Variables

Air Meteorological Measurements (TA, RH, PA, WS, WD)
Protocol for Other Variables: http://www.icos-etc.eu/icos/documents/instructions

Funding Bodies

Description

COSMOS-UK (cosmic-ray soil moisture) is a network of soil moisture monitoring stations. Near-real time soil moisture data is provided for use in a variety of applications including farming, water resources, flood forecasting and land-surface modelling.

Website available at: https://cosmos.ceh.ac.uk/

Funding Bodies

Description

A volunteer-based habitat and plant monitoring scheme designed by BSBI, CEH, Plantlife and JNCC, to provide an indication of changes in plant abundance and diversity. Website available at: www.forestry.gov.uk/forestresaerch

Funding Bodies

Description

A volunteer-based habitat and plant monitoring scheme designed by BSBI, CEH, Plantlife and JNCC, to provide an indication of changes in plant abundance and diversity.

Website available at: https://www.npms.org.uk/

Other Variables

Weather data, near-real time soil moisture data

Funding Bodies

Variables - Vegetation

Vegetation variables are measured. Protocol for the Vegetation Variables: https://countrysidesurvey.org.uk/content/field-survey

Funding Bodies

Variables - Vegetation

Vegetation variables are measured

Funding Bodies