Experimental indicators of Lithuanian ecosystems have been presented
On 9 April, experimental indicators of Lithuanian ecosystems and their health (status) were presented at the State Data Agency (Statistics Lithuania). The above-mentioned indicators were presented by Aušra Jablonskienė, Head of the Green Deal Statistics Division of the State Data Agency, and they were commented on by the scientist Dr Daiva Tiškutė-Memgaudienė, Ieva Čaraitė, Chief Specialist of the Nature Protection Policy Group of the Ministry of the Environment, and Lina Paškevičiūtė, Chairwomen of the Environmental Coalition.
The State Data Agency, preparing for the implementation of the requirements of new EU legislation, is carrying out various projects and is looking for the most methodologically accurate ways to calculate various statistical indicators. In recent years, much attention has been paid to the preparation of ecosystem accounts, which has led to the development of experimental statistics.
Ecosystem accounts – an integrated statistical system based on spatial data, designed to manage biophysical information on ecosystems, measure ecosystem services, track changes in ecosystem volume and health, assess ecosystem functions and assets, and relate them to economic and human activities.
Monitoring health of ecosystems over time requires standardized health indicators that describe the whole and are comparable between countries. Efforts were made to prepare such indicators during the implementation of two projects.
In 2021-2024, the State Data Agency, in cooperation with researchers from Vytautas Magnus University, implemented two projects partially funded by the EU: "Trial accounts of the volume of ecosystems and the status of forests" and "Development of statistical indicators of ecosystem health".
During the implementation of the projects, 13 types of ecosystems were identified in Lithuania: forests, arable land, pastures or meadows, urbanized areas, gardens, rivers and streams, canals, lakes, ponds, wetlands and other impermeable bodies of water, swamps, peat lands, sandy coasts, marine and transitional waters. About 90 per cent of the country's area is occupied by terrestrial ecosystems. Agricultural land occupies the largest part of them, i.e. almost 46 per cent.
In order to determine the status of forests, a set of 16 forest state indicators, divided into 3 groups and 6 classes, was compiled and described. Values of all indicators were calculated by spatial units (neighbourhoods, municipalities and 1 km grids) and at the country level in 2000 and 2021. Reference levels were defined for each set of indicators, i.e. it is determined what value of the indicator should be in the ideal case and in the worst case.
When reviewing the survey period, it was noticed that in 2021, compared to 2000, the value of indicators of 3 targets increased, 6 – decreased, and the value of indicators of 7 targets did not change.
Key insights:
- The share of naturally regenerating stands from 2000 to 2021 slightly decreased (from 77.7 to 73.5 per cent), and did not significantly affect the change in the status indicator.
- The share of afforested stands increased slightly during the study period (from 22.3 to 26.5 per cent), but the status indicator shows a slight deterioration (an increase indicates a deteriorating condition).
- The share of old stands increased significantly (from 20.7 per cent in 2000 to 37.9 per cent in 2021).
- Average wood volume increased from 189 m3/ha in 2000 up to 262 m3/ha in 2021, which had a positive impact on the state of forests.
- The average amount of carbon biomass slightly increased (from 109 t C eq./ha in 2000 to 113 t C eq./ha in 2021), this did not have a significant impact on the state of forests, and the indicator value of the target did not change.
- In 2000-2021, areas of forest land did not increase so rapidly.
During the implemented projects, the aim was to statistically assess not only the health (status) of the forest ecosystem, but also the state of all the most important ecosystems in Lithuania. Evaluation was based on the methodology approved by the United Nations Statistical Commission and taking into account Eurostat's recommendations.
A set of eight statistical indicators of ecosystem health was developed. Indicators are divided by respective ecosystems, data for 2018 and 2021 were calculated and presented. Reference levels were also established for each ecosystem health indicator.
- In 2018, the area of green zones nationwide accounted for 42.3 per cent and, in 2021, marginally decreased and reached 42 per cent. The most green spaces are in the city of Vilnius: in 2021, they represented almost 48 per cent. The city of Šiauliai had the fewest green zones, i.e. only 23 per cent.
- In 2021, the best status of the indicator "Concentration of solid particles with a diameter of no more than 2.5 micrometres in big cities" was fixed at the stations located in Klaipėda, Šilutės plentas, Kaunas, Noreikiškės and Naujoji Akmenė.
- The average accumulation of soil organic carbon in crop soil on a national scale slightly increased (from 83.2 t/ha in 2018 to 83.44 t/ha in 2021), but the value of the target indicator did not change.
- Soil organic carbon accumulation in meadows also slightly increased (from 89.1 t/ha in 2018 to 89.38 t/ha in 2021), the value of the target indicator did not change.
- Based on the data of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the population index of widespread agricultural landscape birds in Lithuania in 2018 was 58.5 and, in 2021, 46.36, and was very close to the poor condition limit (degradation).
- The average volume of dead wood at the national level increased slightly during the evaluated period (from 0.35 m3/ha in 2018 to 0.37 m3/ha in 2021), and led to an increase in the value of the indicator.
- The average density of tree cover nationally decreased (from 77.8 per cent in 2018 to 76 per cent in 2021), which also determined deterioration of the condition when assessed according to this indicator.
- The area of artificial impervious surfaces located in coastal areas increased slightly (from 0.26 per cent in 2018 to 0.37 per cent in 2021), but this did not affect the overall situation in evaluating the prevalence of artificial surfaces in coastal areas.