Abstract
The French Mediterranean zone is one of the richest of the country, with 3200 species and many endemics. Because of its interest as a synthetic tool to store and manage data, an ecological Mediterranean flora database was created. Built around five tables, BASECO allows several queries about the botanical and ecological characteristics of about 1800 plants. The database was implemented in Access, which is a relational database management system. Each species is identified by a code and is characterised by several qualitative traits relating to morphology, reproduction, life forms and biogeographical distribution, including several modalities. Each trait is informed from one or two pre-defined reference botanical handbooks as much as possible. There are many different possible uses of this database, even at a huge scale, allowing to reveal patterns hard to detect with the taxonomic approach alone.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
E.O. Box (1996) ArticleTitlePlant functional types and climate at the global scale Journal of Vegetation Science 7 309–320
H. Brisse M. Kerguelen (1994) Index synonymique de la flore de France. Secrétariat Faune-Flore. Coll. Patrimoines naturels Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris, France
H. Bugmann (1996) ArticleTitleFunctional types of trees in temperate and boreal forests: classification and testing Journal of Vegatation Science 7 359–370
Cheddadi R. (database manager and collaborators) 1990. The European Pollen Database, Internet site http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/epd.html.
O. De Bolos J. Vigo R. Masalles J.M. Ninot (1993) Flora manual dels països catalans Editorial Portic Barcelona Spain
De Ruffray P., Brisse H., Grandjouan G. and Garbolino E. 2004. SOPHY, base de donne’es phytosociologiques. Internet site AIAB http://sophy.u-3mrs.fr/
A.H. Fitter H.J. Peat (1994) ArticleTitleThe ecological flora database Journal of Ecology 82 415–425
Gachet S. 2002. Organisation de la biodiversité forestiére: vers une modélisation de la dynamique du sous-bois en fonction des pratiques sylvicoles. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Aix-Marseille III, France 200 pp.
J.P. Grime (1977) ArticleTitleEvidence for the existence of three primary strategies in plants and its relevance to ecological and evolutionary theory American Naturalist 111 1169–1194
J.P. Grime (1988) The C-S-R model of primary plant strategies-origins, implications and tests L.D. Gottlieb S.K. Jain (Eds) Plant Evolutionary Biology Chapman & Hall London 371–393
E.J. Jäger (2000) ArticleTitleA database on biological traits of the German flora – state of the art and need of investigations of the vegetative structures Zeitschrift für Ökologie und Naturschutz 91 IssueID2 53–59
P. Jauzein (1995) Flore des champs cultivés I.N.R.A. Eds, Sopra Paris, France 899
M. Kleyer (1995) Biological traits of vascular plants: a database University of Stuttgart Germany
C. Köppel M. Schnittler E. Rennwald N. Hirneisen (2000) ArticleTitleA database of European Red Lists as a tool for risk assessment in endangered vascular plants Zeitschrift für Ökologie und Naturschutz 91 IssueID2 119–126
S. Lavorel S. McIntyre J. Landsberg T.D.A. Forbes (1997) ArticleTitlePlant functional classifications: from general groups to specific groups based on response to disturbance Trends in Ecology and Evolution 1212 474–478
F. Médail P. Quézel (1997) ArticleTitleHot-spots analysis for conservation of plant biodiversity in the Mediterranean basin Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 84 112–127
F. Médail P. Roche T. Tatoni (1998) ArticleTitleFunctional groups in phytoecology: an application to the study of isolated plant communities in Mediterranean France Acta Oecologia 19 263–274
R. Molinier P. Müller (1938) ArticleTitleLa dissémination des espéces végétales Revue Générale de Botanique 50 1–178
N. Myers R.A. Mittermeier C.G. Mittermeier G.A.B. da Fonseca J. Kent (2000) ArticleTitleBiodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities Nature 403 853–858
H.J. Peat (1998) ArticleTitleThe Antartic plant database: a specimen and literature based information system Taxon 47 85–93
S. Pignatti (1982) Flora d’Italia Edagricole Bologna Italy
P. Quézel (1985) Definition of the Mediterranean region and the origin of its flora C. Gomez-Campo (Eds) Plant Conservation in the Mediterranean Area Geobotany 7. W. Junk DordrechtThe Netherlands 9–24
J.C. Rameau D. Mansion G. Dumé (1989) Flore forestiére française Institut du Développement Forestier Vol. 2 Dijon, France
C. Raunkiaer (1934) The Life-forms of Plants and Statistical Plant Geography Clarendon Press OxfordUK
E.D. Schulze H.A. Mooney (1993) Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function Springer Verlag Berlin, Germany
O.T. Solbrig (1993) Plant traits and adaptive strategies: their role in ecosystem function E.D. Schulze H.A. Mooney (Eds) Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function Springer Verlag Berlin, Germany 97–116
L. Van der Pijl (1982) Principles of Dispersal in Higher Plants Springer Verlag Berlin, Germany
Véla E. 2002. Biodiversité des milieux ouverts en région méditerranéenne. Le cas des pelouses séches du Luberon (Provence calcaire). Ph.D. Thesis, University Aix-Marseille III, France383 pp.
E. Weiher A. Van der Werf K. Thompson E. Garnier O. Eriksson (1999) ArticleTitleChallenging Theophrastus: a common core list of plant traits for functional ecology Journal of Vegetation Science 10 609–620
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gachet, S., Véla, E. & Tatoni, T. BASECO: a floristic and ecological database of Mediterranean French flora. Biodivers Conserv 14, 1023–1034 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-8411-5
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-8411-5