Atlas Florae Europaeae Database

Anthony R. Brach (brach@oeb.harvard.edu)
Mon, 18 Aug 1997 08:01:36 -0700

Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 00:11:33 -0700
From: RAINO LAMPINEN <rlampinen@KMUS.HELSINKI.FI>
Subject: Atlas Florae Europaeae Database

Dear colleagues,

The 2927 maps published in 'Atlas Florae Europaeae' (AFE) volumes 1 to
11 (1972 - 1996) have been scanned and processed with custom software
in order to make the distribution data available in digital format.
These maps cover most of the first volume of 'Flora Europaea'
(pteridophytes to Cruciferae, or c. 20% of European vascular plants).

We have now the distribution data in an Oracle database, and we are
now distributing free copies of an evaluation version of a program for
viewing these maps. You can download this program from the AFE
website at

http://www.helsinki.fi/kmus/afe.html

by choosing a link to the 'Atlas Florae Europaeae Database' page
(http://www.helsinki.fi/kmus/afe/database.html).

The program is written for Windows95 and Windows NT. The maps are not
exactly the same as those in the printed volumes: they show also the
distribution of families and genera, and species maps when the
only the subspecies have separate maps in the printed AFE volumes.

We hope to have the final version of the program available by the
end of 1997. The evaluation version does not contain all the features
planned for the final version (for instance, extracting the
distribution data into text files), and it will expire on 31st
December 1997.

Now that we have the distribution data in a database, we are planning
three different AFE versions in the future:

1) Atlas Florae Europaeae. The "classic" printed AFE volumes.

2) Atlas Florae Europaeae Update. A digital atlas which contains
corrections to distribution maps of taxa already covered by AFE.
Commercial program, available on diskette, with a possibility to
extract the distribution data to text files to be used for
calculation of distribution statistics, phytogeographical
analyses, conservation purposes etc.

3) Atlas Florae Europaeae Online. An atlas which will contain
preliminary maps for taxa which will not be treated in the printed
volumes of AFE in the near future; intended to be available via
the AFE website free of charge.

Yours sincerely,

Raino Lampinen
Atlas Florae Europaeae Secretariat, Helsinki
****************************************************
Raino Lampinen
Finnish Museum of Natural History, Botanical Museum
P.O. Box 7, FIN-00014 HELSINKI UNIVERSITY, FINLAND
telephone +358-9-191 8629, telefax +358-9-191 8656
e-mail Raino.Lampinen@Helsinki.Fi (MIME mail ok)
WWW home page http://www.helsinki.fi/~rlampine/