Database Report

BIOTA Southern Africa Biodiversity Observatories Vegetation Database

Gerhard Muche, Ute Schmiedel & Norbert Jürgens

GIVD Database ID: AF-00-003	Last update: 2015-09-23
BIOTA Southern Africa Biodiversity Observatories Vegetation Database	Web address: http://www.biota-africa.org
Database manager(s): Gerhard Muche (gerhard.muche@uni-hamburg.de); Ute Schmiedel (ute.schmiedel@uni-hamburg.de)
Owner: BIOTA Data Facility
Scope: Vegetation and environmental data in Namibia and western South Africa within the BIOTA Biodiversity Observatories
Abstract: The BIOTA Southern Africa Vegetation Database is a result of monitoring observations within the BIOTA project between 2001 and 2010. The vegetation data was collected along three transects in Namibia and South Africa on 36 Biodiversity Observatories (observation sites of size 1 km² with a standardised plot design). Yearly visits resulted in time series of many permanent plots, most of them are part of series of nested plots. The Biodiversity Observatories show a range from very poor biodiversity with only 4 species in the Namib Desert to hot spots of biodiversity with more than 500 species.
Availability: according to a specific agreement	Online upload: no	Online search: no
Database format(s): MS Access, other, BIOTABase	Export format(s): MS Access, CSV file, other, Cornell condenses format, Canoco environment data
Plot type(s): normal plots, nested plots, time series	Plot-size range (m²): 0.01 to 10000
Non-overlapping plots: 4083	Estimate of existing plots: 4083	Completeness: 100%	Status: ongoing capture
Total no. of plot observations: 12808	Number of sources (biblioreferences, data collectors): 1	Valid taxa: 2468
Countries (%): ZA: 37.3; NA: 62.7
Formations: Forest: 3% = Terrestrial: 3% // Non Forest: 97% = Terrestrial: 97% (Non arctic-alpin: 97% [Natural: 69%; Semi-natural: 29%])
Guilds: all vascular plants: 100%
Plot size categories (%): < 1 m2: 6.0%; 1-10 m2: 3.0%; 10-100 m2: 5.3%; 100-1000 m2: 46.4%; 1000-10000 m2: 23.9%; >= 10000 m2: 15.3%; unknowmn: 0.1%;
Environmental data (%): altitude: 56.1; slope aspect: 27.6; slope inclination: 34.1
Performance measure(s): presence/absence only: 24.8%; cover: 75.2%; measurements like diameter or height of trees: 0%; biomass: 0%
Geographic localisation: GPS coordinates (precision 25 m or less): 100%; political units or only on a coarser scale ( above 10 km): 100%
Sampling periods: 2000-2009: 99%; 2010-2019: 1%
Information as of 2026-06-14; further details and future updates available from http://www.givd.info/ID/AF-00-003

Gerhard Muche* (gerhard.muche@uni-hamburg.de)
Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology of Plants, Biocentre Klein Flottbeck, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststr. 18, 22609 Hamburg, GERMANY
Ute Schmiedel (ute.schmiedel@uni-hamburg.de)
Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology of Plants, Biocentre Klein Flottbeck, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststr. 18, 22609 Hamburg, GERMANY
Norbert Jürgens (norbert.juergens@t-online.de)
Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology of Plants, Biocentre Klein Flottbeck, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststr. 18, 22609 Hamburg, GERMANY
* corresponding author