Vegetation Database of Pine Forests on Acidic Soils in Germany

Abstract

The Vegetation Database of Pine Forests on Acidic Soils in Germany (GIVD ID EU-DE-019) of ± acidophytic pine forests (mainly Dicrano-Pinion and plantations at deciduous forest sites and Pulsatillo-Pinetea) in Germany comprises 3327 releves, about two thirds from the Northern German lowlands and one third from the hilly regions up to approximately 800 m a.s.l. (mainly Bavaria). Besides Dicrano-Pinion, also small amounts of Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetea and montain scree forest releves (Betulo carpaticaeSorbetum) are included. The database was created in the early 1990s and finished in 2005 in order to re-evaluate the syntaxonomy of acidophytic pine forests of Germany based on ± all available vegetation data. Only original releves (Braun-Blanquet method) from 73 sources, published in local ecological journals or monographs, or unpublished material e.g. from diploma theses, are included. Plots sizes, complete structural data and exact georeference are mostly not included in the electronic repository, but may be retrieved from the original publications in many cases. Beyond phytosociological classification and analysis of large-scale geographic patterns within plant communities, parts of the database have been intensively used to evaluate site characteristics of plant communities, performance of indicator plants and the influence of pollution and land-use change on present-day vegetation. Hosted by the Department of Biodiversity Research and Botany of the University of Potsdam, the data are available for collaborative research.