Biodiversity & Ecology

English

Abstract: The Semi-natural Grassland Vegetation Database of Latvia (GIVD ID EU-LV-001) was first developed in 1999 as part of the PhD Thesis on syntaxonomy and diversity of dry and mesic grasslands of Latvia. The database includes the original relevés established by the author as early as 1997. The majority of relevés belongs to the Filipendulo-Helictotrichion (Festuco-Brometea) and Arrhenatheretalia communities, but Molinietalia, Nardetalia, Caricion nigrae, Koelerion glaucae and Plantagini-Festucion are covered, as well. The total number of relevés stored is 2,500 and there are approximately 700 relevés to be digitised. Plot size varies from 1 to 125 m2, the majority of relevés are 4-9 m2 large. Relevés contain records of vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens (excl. non-terrestrial taxa) percentage cover values. The database holds information on geographic localisation, slope inclination and aspect, management type, soil type etc. Part of the relevés are included in the large-scale database: Dry Grasslands in the Baltic and Nordic Region. Several publications are based on the database dealing with Latvia’s vegetation classification at regional and local scale and with long-term changes of vegetation. The Laboratory of Geobotany at the Institute of Biology of the University of Latvia is planning to develop a joint database of vegetation of Latvia and the current database will be a part of that database.