Vegetation databases have proven an irreplaceable medium to store and maintain the vast volume of data produced by vegetation scientists worldwide. They do not only protect data and the laborious work invested to produce them from getting lost, but also enable scientists to analyse large datasets in order to answer current research questions. A major task of present research is to find underlying ecological, temporal and spatial processes that shape plant communities. In this context, databases can serve as important tools supplementing experimental approaches. Inference of processes requires e.g. linkages to environmental data at adequate temporal and spatial scales and plant functional data, but also advanced statistical methods like path analysis techniques.
The next meeting of the German Working Group on Vegetation Databases is dedicated to the role databases are playing in detecting ecological processes from various vegetation-related data. We encourage presentations (talks and posters) focussing on questions and methods with special emphasis on the analysis of vegetation data with respect to underlying ecological processes and cause and effect relationships. Besides, more general contributions on other technical or scientific advances in vegetation databanking are welcome.
The workshop will be hosted by the Landscape Ecology Group of the University of Oldenburg from 4th to 6th of March 2015. We will start the workshop by giving an introduction to path analysis and structural equation modelling (Wednesday, 4th of March). These statistical analyses are well suited to identify causal relationships between parameters, test ecological hypotheses for their significance and are able to deal with large datasets. The following two days will we dedicated to talks and posters presenting ecological research questions inferred from vegetation databases.
Software workshop: V. Minden, C. Peppler-Lisbach: An introduction to structural equation modelling and path analysis. Participation limited to 20 people, first come first serve. Information about provision of computers etc. will follow.
Catering: Refreshments will be provided during the conference breaks. For the evenings, we will arrange joint dinners at restaurants for those who are interested (to be paid individually).
Fees: There is no conference fee. A conference reader is included. Some refreshments during the coffee breaks are sponsored by VegetWeb 2.0.
Registration: Registration and abstract submission are available on this homepage.
Contact/Local Organising Committee: If you have any inquiries just contact the Local Organising Committee.