Surface Samples in the EPD
(Sheila Hicks)
Progress with the EPD surface sample dataset has been delayed while the
obligatory meta data is being checked and assembled. This is now being
managed from the Thule Institute, University of Oulu, Finland. The 800
surface samples which have been submitted to the EPD so far cover only very
restricted areas of Europe (mostly the extreme south western and eastern
fringes) so there is a real need to collect well documented samples from a
whole range of vegetation situations throughout Europe. Moss polsters, lake
surface sediments and core tops (where it is certain that the top represents
the present day) can all be included but it should be very clearly stated
which medium has been collected and how. Other aspects of the minimum
metadata required are listed in Newsletter 9.