The Saproxylic Database

The database is developed to serve different user groups and uses, especially:

• People who has an interest for species living in dead wood and who wants to learn more about these species.
• Researchers who want to analyse the database content and interpret the results in cooperation with the data providers and database working groups.
• Experts working with classification of red-listed species.
• Experts that provide guidelines for forest management and tree care in forest areas, parks and agricultural land.

At the bottom of this page, you learn how to register as a user.

Use the database to learn more about wood-inhabiting species

Those who want to use the database primarily to enhance personal knowledge about saproxylic species should especially familiarize themselves with the following:
- the wood attributes and their definitions (see Technical database description, ch. 3)
- the functional roles of species (see Technical database description, ch. 4)
- the selection criteria to view different parts of the database content (see guidelines when logging into the database)
- the difference between views and reports (see guidelines when logging into the database)
- the “Terms and conditions for use” (see further down in this page)

Use the database for research

This database has many potential applications for research. We encourage such usage. Please observe the following:
1) That data providers and database work group participants very well may have similar (or even better) ideas for analysing the data. Notice also the large labour effort that is laid down by data providers and database working groups to establish and maintain this database. Researchers should therefore contact and invite relevant persons to become co-authors of reports and scientific publications when they use significant subsets of the database.
2) That some of the data has special conditions for use (licence data, see “Terms and conditions for use” below). This is automatically highlighted when data is downloaded.
3) That the database content has shortcoming and weaknesses that become critically important when interpreting analyses, especially that the database:
- contains presence data only (missing information and absence information both appear as empty cells)
- has major information gaps (e.g. there is no information about species preferences for many wood attributes).
- has large variation in the empirical basis for different information “cells/units”
- has major geographical bias in the empirical basis.
Therefore, we strongly encourage that researchers consult data providers and database working group members when interpreting the analyses.
4) That the primary information sources should be cited. The correct way to cite information extracted from the database is: <original publication> “Downloaded from the Wood Decomposed Database” <year of download>. A complete reference list for viewed data or report downloads can be automatically produced by the database (Notice! This function is not yet available).

Use the database to evaluate red list status

A large number of the wood-inhabiting species are red-listed. The database is a valuable tool when evaluating the red list status of species. One gets an overview of the ecology of individual species and their preferences for different wood substrates. Furthermore, the database provides many references for the empirical basis.

Experts carrying out assessments for red-listed species are strongly encouraged to inform the database working groups about existing information that should be incorporated in the database.

Use the database to develop management guidelines

For forestry, park management, tree care, nature conservation, etc. <no text made yet>

Terms and conditions for use (agreed by end user)

The Wood decomposer database has some terms and conditions for use. These fall into two categories: a) general terms and conditions for using the whole database, and b) additional terms and conditions assigned by data providers to particular sections of the data.

The user needs to agree with the general terms and conditions when logging on to the database. These terms essentially deal with the copyright to the information content and user rights. All registered users get the right to download or copy any subset of the database content to his or her personal computer and storing media for personal and professional use. It is not allowed to forward a copy of any part of the information to a third person, or to make the a copy of any part of the information available to anybody unless a special copyright has been granted.

Data providers can assign additional terms and conditions to data that have not been published elsewhere. These terms and conditions have the form of a licence that the user needs to agree with before the data is copied or downloaded. The main purpose of the licence is to facilitate contact between data user and data provider so that they establish an agreement about particular use of the data.

How to become a user?
Anybody can freely register as a user by logging into the database as Public (using “public” as password). Then go to Introduction/Register as user.

<Notice this “Register as user” function does not work yet. It is expected to become operative early autumn 2007. Until then you should use the database by logging in as Public>