Biodiversity & Ecology

Journal of the Division Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology of Plants , Institute for Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg.

Long Database Report Open Access

Vegetation relevés and soil measurements in the Netherlands: the Ecological Conditions Database (EC)

G.W. Wieger Wamelink*, Marjolein H.C. van Adrichem, Han F. van Dobben, Joep Y. Frissel, Merel den Held, Veronique Joosten, Agnieszka H. Malinowska, Pieter A. Slim & Ruut M.A. Wegman

Article first published online: 24 September 2012

DOI: 10.7809/b-e.00067

*Corresponding author contact: wieger.wamelink@wur.nl

<< Volume 4

Biodiversity & Ecology (Biodivers. Ecol.)

Special Volume: Vegetation databases for the 21st century,
edited by Jürgen Dengler, Jens Oldeland, Florian Jansen, Milan Chytrý, Jörg Ewald, Manfred Finckh, Falko Glöckler, Gabriela Lopez-Gonzalez, Robert K. Peet & Joop H.J. Schaminée

Volume 4, pages 125–132, Sep 12

PDF (1.6 MB)

Keywords: abiotic variable; indicator plant; nutrient; pH, soil property; species response.

English

Abstract: Since its establishment around 1990, the Ecological Conditions Database (EC; GIVD ID EU-00-006) has been accumulating vegetation relevés from the Netherlands, each accompanied by at least one abiotic soil measurement (e.g. pH or nutrient availability). On 1-1-2010, the database contained 8,229 relevés, covering the period from 1936 to 2009, and representing contributions from 110 authors. The most frequently measured soil parameter is pH, with well over 5,000 entries. All the data in the database are subjected to ISO 9001 quality control. The database can be used as the starting point for estimating plant species responses to a range of abiotic variables, such as pH, groundwater table, or nitrate concentration, and for vegetation modelling (model parameterisation and validation).

Suggested citation:
Wamelink, G.W.W., van Adrichem, M.H.C., van Dobben, H.F., Frissel, J.Y., den Held, M., Joosten, V., Malinowska, A.H., Slim, P.A., Wegman, R.M.A. (2012): Vegetation relevés and soil measurements in the Netherlands: the Ecological Conditions Database (EC). – In: Dengler, J., Oldeland, J., Jansen, F., Chytrý, M., Ewald, J., Finckh, M., Glöckler, F., Lopez-Gonzalez, G., Peet, R.K., Schaminée, J.H.J. [Eds.]: Vegetation databases for the 21st century. – Biodiversity & Ecology 4: 125–132. DOI: 10.7809/b-e.00067.