Monitoring is required to determine changes in biodiversity, to better understand the functional linkages in ecosystems, and to evaluate the success ar failure of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use policies and programmes. There are several national and local monitoring programmes implementing in the Slovak Republic. Monitoring of biota is being introduced as a part
of the Environmental Monitoring System. This system was started in response to Government Regulation No. 449/1992 and consists of 12 monitoring sub-systems. The sub - systems concern inter alia, air quality monitoring (on 33 monitoring plots), water quality monitoring (on 340 monitoring plots), forest health monitoring, etc. Selected parameters of biodiversity components are
also monitored by sectors. Many institutions are engaged in collecting and monitoring data and information for the conservation
of biodiversity and sustainable use of biological resources. However, the collected data and information are often not readily available because of irregular updating and the problems encountered with the exchange among different management systems.
In addition, the complete biological, physical, chemical, social, cultural and economic data required by resource planners and managers are also often unavailable.
Effective data management systems, an understanding of monitoring as physical data and optimal data protection methods are still lacking.

Strategic directions:
 

	set-up a comprehensive programme for monitoring of biodiversity;
	introduce new monitoring methods for better understanding of ecosystem changes
	promote utilisation of biodiversity indicators in monitoring;
	facilitate the establishment of linkages between different monitoring systems;
	link principal monitoring centres with a clearing- house mechanism;

In 1990, the Institute for Forest Management Planning established a monitoring network of 4x4 km to obtain more information on the health and functional stability of forests for decision making and forestry planning. Data are obtained through chemical analyses of leaves and soil. Mapping of vegetation, which provides valuable information on biodiversity is also involved. Additional information on forest biodiversity is available locally form the monitoring grid of 2x2 km in the Tatra National Park (since 1993), monitoring of air pollution damage in a 1x1 km grid in the Spiš forests area (since 1990), and 1x1 km grid along the Danube River (since 1993). The monitoring of biota in respect of the Gabčíkovo waterworks is a special project which has been carried out since 1990.

Environmental Monitoring Sub-systems
 

1.	Air	Ministry of the Environment	Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute
2.	Water	Ministry of the Environment	Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute
3.	Soil	Ministry of Agriculture	Soil-Fertility Research Institute
4.	Biota	Ministry of the Environment	Slovak Environmental Agency
5.	Forests	Ministry of Agriculture	Forests Research Institute
6.	Waste	Ministry of the Environment	Slovak Environmental Agency
7.	Radiation and other Physical Fields	Ministry of Health	State Health Institute
8.	Geological factors	Ministry of the Environment	Ministry of Geological Service of the Environment the Slovak Republic
9.	Settlements	Ministry of the Environment	Slovak Environmental Agency
10.	Land use	Ministry of the Environment	Slovak Environmental Agency
11.	Contaminants Food and Forage	Ministry of Agriculture	Food Research Institute
12.	Population Exposure to Environment Hazard	Ministry of Health	State Health Institute