Statistical methods were developed to assess required changes in the contents and pools of major nutrients and exchangeable base cations in the organic layer and the mineral soil of European forest soils, to derive significant differences. Furthermore a simple element retention model is described and applied to assess the variation time periods, as a function of site and soil characteristics and atmospheric inputs, that are needed before repeating soil surveys in order to assess significant differences in element pools. Time periods that are needed to assess a significant difference have been limited to N in the organic layer and base cations in the mineral layer, since those pools are liable to change caused by nitrogen or acid deposition. Results showed that a time interval of 10 years, which is generally considered for a repetition of the soil survey, might give a significant difference in N and exchangeable base cation pools for approximately 25% and 10% of the plots, only.