Nicola Arndt und Matthias Pohl - Neobiota

• As soon as it became available, the digitised base map at the scale of 1 : 2.5 million was also
used for the above-mentioned spatial classifications, and for the designation of Ecological
Regions at a national level (see contribution by W. SCHRÖDER in the present volume). Otherwise,
the map was mainly used for deriving the overall distributions and subdivisions of the formation
subgroups and map units.
A much-cited example is the map of the natural overall distribution of beech forests and their
elevational classification in Europe. Their grouping into trophic classes and geographical variants
was also displayed (cf. additional maps 10, 11 and 12 in the explanatory text, BOHN et al. 2000/
2003). The map of beech forest distribution is an important tool, e.g., in arguing for the
establishment of beech forest national parks and other protected areas containing mainly beech
forests.
The digital map at the scale of 1 : 2.5 million was also used for the survey and spatial display of
the conservation status of the natural vegetation of Germany by overlaying the vegetation map
with the current distribution of forests (CORINE Land Cover) and protected areas (cf. Data on
Nature, BFN 1999, 2002, and brochures of the BfN, BOHN et al. 2000).
The map of natural vegetation furthermore plays an important role in the national assessment of
Habitats Directive sites reporting for countries involved in NATURA 2000 and in the planned
completion of the same (see contributions by D. EVANS and C. HETTWER in this volume).
The objective of the present workshop is a) to present examples of completed and ongoing
applications of the digital map data, and b) to illustrate and discuss further possibilities for its
application and analysis. This will be carried out especially in view of the preparation and creation of
purpose-driven and user-friendly map and text data on CD-ROM and on the Internet (this in particular
is a goal of the EEA in the framework of NATLAN).
The digital data are to be made available in both view-only format as well as in the form of interactive
data. The technical ability will also be developed to update and improve the baseline data.
We made an effort to cover as broad a spectrum of users and potential applications as possible. In the
event that certain speakers were unable to participate, we made an effort to include their contributions
in written form into the proceedings.
We have organised the individual contributions into the following over-arching themes:
• Ecological area classification (at global, European and national levels)
• Classification and content of individual formations (examples from the tundras, boreal forests,
mires, steppes and deserts)
• Conservation status of the natural vegetation and its representation in protected areas (Europewide
as well as at the level of regions or states)
• Investigations of naturalness, stand structure and species diversity (at national level and/or the
level of formations)
• Analysis of the European vegetation map for synsystematic classifications (at the level of natural
areas and/or landscapes, as well as in general)
• Use of the map in re-creating the natural vegetation and old cultural landscapes (examples from
Ireland and Great Britain)
• Use of the vegetation map in silviculture, ecosystem-based forestry, and with respect to the effects
of climate change (applied at the level of certain regions and formations)
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