Database Report

Semi-natural Grassland Vegetation Database of Latvia

Solvita Rusina

GIVD Database ID: EU-LV-001	Last update: 2021-01-30
Semi-natural Grassland Vegetation Database of Latvia	Web address:
Database manager(s): Solvita Rusina (rusina@lu.lv)
Owner: Solvita Rusina
Scope: The aim of the database creation was to use it for the development of semi-natural grassland syntaxonomy of Latvia. The only source is original relevés done by S.Rusina(Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, Calluno-Ulicetea, Festuco-Brometea, Trifolio-Geranietea, Magnocaricion, Caricion nigrae). Other possible sources to be included are no more than 10 publications with approx. 30-60 relevés.
Abstract: The database of semi-natural grasslands of Latvia was started to develop in 1999 in the frame of the PhD Thesis on syntaxonomy and diversity of dry and mesic grasslands of Latvia. The database includes the original relevés made by the author as early as from 1997. The database includes both permanent plots in grassland monitoring sites and plots collected in vegetation surveys. The majority of releves belongs to the Filipendulo-Helictotrichion (Festuco-Brometea) and Arrhenatheretalia communities, but Molinietalia, Nardetalia, Caricion nigrae, Koelerion glaucae and Plantagini-Festucion are covered, as well. In addition, several tens of releves are collected in forests or shrublands closely linked to grasslands, for example, as successional stage after abandonment of grassland or as contact community next to grassland. The total number of relevés stored is approx. 6000 and there are still about 700 relevés that are not digitised. Plot size varies from 1 to 125 m2 but the majority of relevés are 4-9 m2 large. Relevés contain records of vascular plant, bryophyte, and lichen (excl. non-terricolous taxa) cover values in percentage. The header data contain information on geographic localisation, slope inclination and aspect, management type, soil type etc. A part of relevés is included into 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 the joint database of vegetation of Latvia and the current database will be a part of that database.
Availability: according to a specific agreement	Online upload: no	Online search: no
Database format(s): TURBOVEG	Export format(s): TURBOVEG, Excel, CSV file, plain text file
Plot type(s): normal plots, time series	Plot-size range (m²): 1 to 125
Non-overlapping plots: 2165	Estimate of existing plots: 3200	Completeness: 68%	Status: ongoing capture
Total no. of plot observations: 2500	Number of sources (biblioreferences, data collectors): 1	Valid taxa: 950
Countries (%): LV: 100
Formations: Non Forest: 100% = Terrestrial: 100% (Non arctic-alpin: 100% [Semi-natural: 100%])
Guilds: all vascular plants: 100%; bryophytes (terricolous or aquatic): 80%; lichens (terricolous or aquatic): 80%
Plot size categories (%): < 1 m2: 0%; 1-10 m2: 70%; 10-100 m2: 20%; 100-1000 m2: 10%; 1000-10000 m2: 0%; unknowmn: 0%;
Environmental data (%): altitude: 0; slope aspect: 90; slope inclination: 90; microrelief: 0; surface cover other than plants (open soil, litter, bare rock etc.): 100; other soil attributes: 10; soil pH: 10; land use categories: 90
Performance measure(s): cover: 100%
Geographic localisation: GPS coordinates (precision 25 m or less): 100%; political units or only on a coarser scale ( above 10 km): 0%
Sampling periods: 2000-2009: 65%
Information as of 2024-04-20; further details and future updates available from http://www.givd.info/ID/EU-LV-001

Solvita Rusina* (rusina@lu.lv)
Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Latvia, Alberta 10, LV 1010 Riga, LATVIA
* corresponding author