Database Report

Vegetation Database of Southern Morocco

Manfred Finckh

GIVD Database ID: AF-MA-001	Last update: 2015-09-23
Vegetation Database of Southern Morocco	Web address: http://www.biota-africa.org
Database manager(s): Manfred Finckh (manfred.finckh@uni-hamburg.de)
Owner: BIOTA Data Facility
Scope: Rangeland vegetation of southern Morocco from the High Atlas to the Sahara with focus on the Draa-catchment. The data set includes individual based permanent plots and Biodiversity Observatories.
Abstract: The Vegetation Database of Southern Morocco compiles vegetation relevés and permanent plot data from south-central Morocco, with a special focus on the provinces of Ouarzazate and Zagora. Most of the data was sampled within the research projects IMPETUS (http://www.impetus.uni-koeln.de) and BIOTA Maroc (http://www.biota-africa.org/). The database includes most types of natural rangeland types occurring in this area, in especially oromediterranean screes, oromediterranean cushion shrubs, Sagebrush steppes, Halfa-steppes, presaharan Hammada-steppes, Saharan rock desert, Saharan regs, Saharan sand dunes, Acacia-wadis, and halophytic salt pan vegetation. A special feature of the database are vegetation monitoring data from 35 permanent plots and 2 BIOTA Biodiversity Observatories along an altitudinal transect from the Mgoun area in Central High Atlas down to the Lac Iriki at the Algerian Border. Those data include individual based plot observations and repeated relevés covering the period from 2001 to 2009.
Availability: according to a specific agreement	Online upload: no	Online search: no
Database format(s): MS Access, other, BIOTABase	Export format(s): TURBOVEG, MS Access, CSV file
Plot type(s): normal plots, nested plots, time series	Plot-size range (m²): 0.25 to 10000
Non-overlapping plots: 1790	Estimate of existing plots: 44984	Completeness: 4%	Status: completed and continuing
Total no. of plot observations: 44984	Number of sources (biblioreferences, data collectors): 4	Valid taxa: 732
Countries (%): MA: 100
Formations: Non Forest: 100% = Terrestrial: 100% (Non arctic-alpin: 100% [Natural: 100%])
Guilds: all vascular plants: 100%
Plot size categories (%): < 1 m2: 93%; 1-10 m2: 0%; 10-100 m2: 0%; 100-1000 m2: 4%; 1000-10000 m2: 3%; unknowmn: 0%;
Environmental data (%): altitude: 98; slope aspect: 92; slope inclination: 92; microrelief: 92; soil pH: 20; land use categories: 100
Performance measure(s): presence/absence only: in ha%; cover: 100%; number of individuals: in permanent plots%; measurements like diameter or height of trees: in permanent plots%
Geographic localisation: GPS coordinates (precision 25 m or less): 92%; political units or only on a coarser scale ( above 10 km): 98%
Sampling periods: 1990-1999: null%; 2000-2009: 92.7%
Information as of 2026-06-14; further details and future updates available from http://www.givd.info/ID/AF-MA-001

Manfred Finckh* (manfred.finckh@uni-hamburg.de)
Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology of Plants, Biocentre Klein Flottbeck, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststr. 18, 22609 Hamburg, GERMANY
* corresponding author