Data on pollen is very valuable for many scientific questions relating to climate change, ecology and allergology. This data is analysed according to European standards by analysts at the Medical University of Vienna. At the Biologische Station Neusiedler See, a so-called pollen trap is used, which is positioned on the roof of the station and is maintained on a weekly basis. Air is sucked in and pollen particles adhere to a rotating adhesive film, allowing not only the detection of certain pollens, but also their temporal classification. This makes this method suitable for determining the pollen count and pollen forecasting.

The Loobos site (ICOS code NL-Loo) is located near Kootwijk, on the Veluwe. The forest was planted around the year 1909 on sand dunes to fight sandstorms and also for the wood to serve in the mines in Limburg (Southern NL). The forest has been growing since then and was exposed to very little management. In all directions the forest extends for more than 1.5 km.

The permanent grassland (mesophytic hay meadow) of around 40 ha is unfertilized since 1987 and is extensively managed (one to three cuts per year for fodder and hay production, occasional cattle, sheep or horse grazing in autumn). Typical plant species are couch grass (Elymus repens (L.) Gould ), meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis (L.)), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), common sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and white clover (Trifolium repens). The organic soil horizon (ABhw) is characterised as silty loam. The B horizon shows mainly medium clayey loam and medium clayey silt. The site is located in the suboceanic/subcontinental climate (Cfb). The grassland is surrounded by forest (up to 30 m). So, the fetch is restricted to 530 m (N), 250 m (W), 470 m (S) and 350 m (E), respectively. However, footprint investigations considering the site represents the specified target land cover type very well.

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The Norunda research station, with ICOS code SE-Nor, is located in the southern part of the boreal forest zone (the nearest town is Uppsala, about 25 km to the South). The area is flat with small-scale variations in altitude and the site is dominated by Norway spruce and Scots pine with a small fraction of birch trees, and the shrub layer is dominated by blueberry, cranberry, moss, and flowers. The soils are sandy-loamy tills with high content of stones and blocks.

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