## Database for the European forest transect

> Dear user,

> The data on this CD-ROM are part of the book
> Schulze E-D (ed) (2000) Carbon and nitrogen cycling in European forest ecosystems. Ecological studies 142, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

> This book contains the results of the EU-NIPHYS/CANIF projects that were performed during the years 1993 to 1996 (NIPHYS) and 1996 to 1999 (CANIF). These projects investigated plant and soil processes in deciduous and coniferous forest stands along a transect ranging from north Sweden to central Italy.

> The production of a data-bank treating a heterogeneous subject as this CD is not only a lot of work, but contains also the danger, that there are errors. If you find inconsistencies or errors, we would appreciate your help to make them known to us. Therefore, in such case, please contact Ernst-Detlef Schulze (e-mail: detlef.schulze@bgc-jena.mpg.de) or Harmke van Oene (e-mail: Harmke.vanOene@staf.ton.wau.nl).

> The authors of different subjects are just as much interested to know, who is going to use the data. Therefore, we would appreciate, if you could make contact to authors of the data if you use them. The contact to authors is also recommended in case there are problems with respect to the data.

> This readme file will lead through the contents of the CD: It is
> (remarks:
> - this readme file is organized in html format. You may find different sections by mouse-click.
> - for reading pdf-files you can download Acrobat Reader from the internet at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html )

> - Conditions of use and terms of warranty /Nutzungs- und Garantiebestimmungen
> (available as pdf-file in English or German)
> - Rules for citation of data used
> The data in this databank are free for anyone to use when crediting data products and data holders by correct citation. We also consider it important that the persons that collected the data are cited properly if these data are used for any further analyses.
> - Citation of figures, figure data, and tables:
> In the files of the figures and tables of the book chapters a reference to the first author of the book chapter is given. The figures, figure data, and tables should be cited by chapters:

> NAME (2000) CHAPTER TITLE. In: Schulze E-D (ed) Carbon and nitrogen cycling in European forest ecosystems. Ecological studies 142. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, PAGES

> - Citation of field data:
> This database should be treated as a publication. For all data, you will find information on who collected this data. The format of the citation should be:

> NAME (2000) SUBJECT (e.g. tree biomass data), CD-ROM Database. In: Schulze E-D (ed) Carbon and nitrogen cycling in European forest ecosystems. Ecological studies 142. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

> - Contents of the book (available as pdf-file)
> - Addresses of the contributing authors
> - Site abbreviations

> The database is organized in three parts:

> - Part 1: figures, figure data, and tables of the chapters:
> The figures, figure data and tables presented in the book are included in separate files for each chapter. The figures and tables are available as pdf-files. The figure data are available as ASCII files (separation of columns by tabs).
> - Part 2: field data for each site:
> The field data that are the basis for the assessment are presented in separate files for each study site. The collected data include data on the tree species, field-layer vegetation, soil organic matter, soil data, soil chemistry data, hydrology as well as climatic conditions and deposition data. The databank covers mainly the years 1993-1998, although information from earlier years is also included when available. The data include primary data from the sites. The availability of data varies between the sites depending on the depth of the study. For instance, the site Salacova Lhota was studied only with respect to long-term trends in whole catchments (see Chap. 19).

> File organization:

> - Excel users will find one xls-file per site called "xxx_data.xls" (e.g. auf_data.xls) where the different data are ordered in sheets containing data for each subject together. The sheet "xxx_start" (e.g. AuF_start) gives an overview of the contents of each sheet. The sheet "xxx_01" (e.g. AuF_01) contains the general data of the site, including the contact person for the site. (For xxx (e.g. AuF) see site abbreviations).
> - ASCII users will find several txt-files for each site (separation of columns by tabs) where the different data are ordered in different files containing data for each subject. The file "xxxstart.txt" (e.g. aufstart.txt) gives an overview of the contents of each file. The file "xxx_01.txt" (e.g. auf_01.txt) contains the general data of the site, including the contact person for the site. (For xxx (e.g. auf) see site abbreviations).
> - Part 3: data on abundance and diversity of soil fauna, soil microfungi, and mycorrhizae.
> These data are given in separate files containing lists of species present and abundances of these species. Data are ordered by groups of organisms; each file contains data for several sites.
> File organization:
> - Excel users will find one xls file per theme called "yyy_data.xls" (sf_data.xls for soil fauna; smf_data.xls for soil microfungi; myc_data.xls for mycorrhizae) where the different data are ordered in different sheets. The sheet "yyy_start" (e.g. sf_start) gives an overview of the contents of each sheet.
> - ASCII users will find several txt-files per theme (separation of columns by tabs) where the different data are organized in different files. The file "yyystart.txt" (sfstart.txt for soil fauna; smfstart.txt for soil microfungi; mycstart.txt for mycorrhizae) gives an overview of the contents of each file.
> - Additionally, pdf files of slides illustrating the sites or techniques are included.

> The data files of the sites on the CD-ROM were compiled by Harmke van Oene (see address list) and Barbara Lühker, editorial assistant of E.-D. Schulze (see address list).