5.3 Station descriptions

5.3.1 Coding of stations

National Focal Point (NFP) in each country is responsible for the coding of stations.

All sites belonging to the IM network are identified by: country area number, where:

• country: a 2-letter ISO code for country (see Annex 4)
• area number: a 2-digit running number per country

Stations within an IM site are identified by the following information: station identification = subprogramme code office code station code, where:

•  station code: a 4-digit code for station     
•  office code: a 2-letter code for office/institute responsible for measurements (complete name also reported to the Programme Centre)
•  subprogramme: a 2-letter code for subprogramme

Stations may represent plots, groups of trees, sampling sites etc. Stations belonging to one subprogramme can always be identified by the 2-letter subprogramme code ( Figure 5.8). In order to allow for easier comparison of data each station should be coded so that the same 4-digit station code is used for different subprogrammes when the measurements are carried out on the same plots or when the stations are close to one another on the same habitat type.

A code belonging to an abandoned station should not be used again.

5.3.2 Basic information requirements for stations

The following information about stations should be delivered to the Programme Centre:

Station identification (see 5.3.1)

Establishment information:

• Establishment month (yyyymm)
• Dismantling month (yyyymm): Given when station is abandoned

Local coordinates:

Coordinates are given using local coordinates. The reference point (origo) is the left lower corner of the smallest rectangle enclosing the IM site. Origo is identified by latitude and longitude (degree, minute, second). The x-axis (S-N-axis) is drawn parallel to compass north and the y-axis is drawn perpendicular to the x-axis.

• Local x coordinate: Distance from the reference point in the S-N direction, 10 m accuracy.     
• Local y coordinate: Distance from the reference point in the W-E direction, 10 m accuracy.
•  Elevation: Altitude above sea level, 10 m accuracy.

Vegetation:

Information obtained from mapping of plant communities (chapter 5.1.2.5) and tree stands (5.1.2.6). The following information should be made available:

• Vegetation type: According to mapping of plant communities (see chapter 5.1.2.5)

The following information is given according to mapping of tree stands (see chapter 5.1.2.6):

•  Dominant tree species     
•  Basal area (m²/ha)     
•  Development class
•  Dominant tree height (m)

Soil:

Information obtained from mapping of soil types (see chapter 5.1.2.4). The following information should be made available:

• Soil type
• Pedotype

Structure of the station:

• Size of the station: Size of the area (m²) containing all collectors/sample plots/sample trees used for monitoring.     
• Number of sample plots/sample trees/collectors: Number of sample plots refers to the individual smaller sampling plots used for sampling.
• Size of individual sample plots: Eg. in subprogramme VG size of smaller individual sample plots used for sampling (m²).

Additional information:

This information should mandatorily be reported with the real data.

• Any information which might explain changes in the measured values of some parameters.     
• Circumstances possibly affecting the measurements.     
• Methods, if different from the recommended ones.     
• The bases used for dividing vegetation into layers/levels.
• Upper and lower levels used in monitoring trunk epiphytes etc.