Inland water macroinvertebrate occurrences in Flanders, Belgium
Citation
Vannevel R, De Cooman W, Gabriels W, Lavens F, Mertens J, Vervaeke B, Brosens D (2022). Inland water macroinvertebrate occurrences in Flanders, Belgium. Version 1.15. Flanders Environment Agency (VMM). Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/4cvbka accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-08-24.Description
The Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) is performing biological water quality assessments on inland waters in Flanders (Belgium) since 1989 and sediment quality assessments since 2000. The water quality monitoring network is a combined physico-chemical and biological network, the biological component focusing on macro-invertebrates. The sediment monitoring program produces biological data to assess sediment quality. Both monitoring programs aim to provide index values, applying a similar conceptual methodology based on the presence of macro-invertebrates. The biological data obtained from both monitoring networks are consolidated in the VMM database. The dataset published contains: 283,141 records of 207 observed taxa from 4,152 monitoring sites located on more than 669 different water courses. The data are distributed to the public domain under the Creative Commons CC-BY license.
The data in this sampling event resource have been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data. It contains a core table with the events (23,829 records) and two related extensions with occurrences (305,353) and measurements (109,122). An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download here: https://ipt.inbo.be/resource?r=vmm-macroinvertebrates-events
Purpose
The macro-invertebrates data set contains data on inland water bodies (assessment of water quality) and on sediments (assessment of sediment quality) to allow calculation of biotic indices.Sampling Description
Study Extent
The macro-invertebrates data set contains data on inland water bodies (assessment of water quality) and on sediments (assessment of sediment quality) to allow calculation of biotic indices. Biotic indices are based on two properties: the number of taxa indicating the biodiversity, and the sensitivity of organisms (of a selected number of taxa) to (mainly organic) pollution. Biotic indices based on macro-invertebrates complement the physico-chemical water quality and are commonly considered as pollution indicators (for this reason they are called water quality indices), although they also partially reflect overall habitat conditions. Since biotic indices are intended for quick and practical use, numbers of organisms are estimated and the identification level is restricted.Sampling
The sediment quality network The procedure for sampling macro-invertebrates in sediments waters is described in a compendium for sampling and analysis, authorised by the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO). Prescribed sampling methods include core and grab samplers. Field observations, including in situ physico-chemical measurements, are noted on a field protocol. The methods for sampling and sample treatment are standardized and certified; additional information can be obtained by contacting the corresponding authors. Relevant field information is included in the reported database, partially aggregated under ‘dwc:dynamicProperties’.Quality Control
Comments regarding quality control apply to both the water and sediment quality networks. Field protocols and identification lists were used to allow comparable observations. However, a number of versions with new and adapted data elements haven been produced. Field observations are highly objectivated in this way, although differences resulting from personal interpretation may still occur. The same applies to taxonomic identification, and in this respect it is advised to consult also the expert publications based on the VMM data set (see reference list: publications based on this dataset). Differences with present taxonomic nomenclature can be experienced, for the reason distortion of biotic index values is avoided as much as possible. Be aware a large number of people contributed to the taxonomic identification over the years, which unavoidably led to errors (misidentification, inclusion of terrestrial taxa, etc.). For taxonomic verification of sample material, experts can contact the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS, Brussels) (http://collections.naturalsciences.be/) where the VMM macro-invertebrate samples are stored. RBINS identifiers apply to all VMM samples of a single year.Method steps
- Users of the data can comment on this macro-invertebrate dataset at https://github.com/LifeWatchVMM/macro-invertebrates -occurrences .
Additional info
To allow anyone to use this dataset, we have released the data to the public domain under a Creative Commons CC-BY licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode). If you use these data for a scientific paper, please cite the dataset following the applicable citation norms and/or consider us for co-authorship. We are always interested to know how you have used or visualized the data, or to provide more information, so please contact us via the contact information provided in the metadata.Taxonomic Coverages
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Animaliarank: kingdom
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Coelenteratarank: phylum
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Hydrozoarank: class
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Plathelminthesrank: phylum
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Turbellariarank: class
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Rhabdocoelarank: order
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Seriatarank: order
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Planariidaerank: family
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Dugesiidaerank: family
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Dendrocoelidaerank: family
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Nemertearank: phylum
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Nemathelminthesrank: phylum
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Annelidarank: phylum
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Oligochaetarank: class
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Aeolosomatidaerank: family
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Naididaerank: family
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Polychaetarank: class
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Ampharetidaerank: family
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Sabellidaerank: family
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Hirudinearank: class
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Molluscarank: phylum
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Gastropodarank: class
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Bivalviarank: class
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Arthropodarank: phylum
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Arachnidarank: class
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Aranearank: order
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Crustacearank: subphylum
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Branchiopodarank: class
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Anostracarank: order
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Notostracarank: order
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Chirocephalidaerank: family
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Cladocerarank: order
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Branchiurarank: subclass
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Copepodarank: subclass
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Argulidaerank: family
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Isopodarank: order
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Decapodarank: order
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Asellidaerank: family
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Astacidaerank: family
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Tanaidaerank: family
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Varunidaerank: family
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Insectarank: class
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Ephemeropterarank: order
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Hempiterarank: order
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Neuropterarank: order
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Noteridaerank: family
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Scirtidaerank: family
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Hydropsychidaerank: family
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Ceratopogonidaerank: family
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Chaoboridaerank: family
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Dixidaerank: family
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Eristalinaerank: subfamily
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Hebridaerank: family
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Perlodidaerank: family
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Perlodidaerank: family
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Leuctridaerank: family
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Capniidaerank: family
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Nemouridaerank: family
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Taeniopterigidaerank: family
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Libellulidaerank: family
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Corduliidaerank: family
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Gomphidaerank: family
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Aeshnidaerank: family
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Coenagrionidaerank: family
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Platycnemidaerank: family
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Lestidaerank: family
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Calopterygidaerank: family
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Caenidaerank: family
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Polymitarcidaerank: family
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Ephemeridaerank: family
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Potamanthidaerank: family
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Ephemerellidaerank: family
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Leptophlebiidaerank: family
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Heptageniidaerank: family
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Oligoneuriidaerank: family
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Baetidaerank: family
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Mactridaerank: family
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Cyrenidaerank: family
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Sphaeriidaerank: family
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Unionidaerank: family
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Physidaerank: family
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Neritidaerank: family
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Erpobdellidaerank: family
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Hirudidaerank: family
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Glossiphoniidaerank: family
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Piscicolidaerank: family
Geographic Coverages
Bibliographic Citations
- De Deckere E., De Cooman W., Florus M. & Devroede-Vanderlinden M.-P. (red), 2000. Handboek voor de karakterisatie van de bodems van de Vlaamse waterlopen, volgens triade. Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap. 112 p. (in Dutch) -
- De Pauw N., Beyst B. & Heylen S., 2000. Development of a biological assessment method for river sediments in Flanders, Belgium. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 27: 2703-2708. -
- De Pauw N. & Heylen S., 2001. Biotic index for sediment quality assessment of watercourses in Flanders, Belgium. Aquatic Ecology 35: 121–133, 2001. -
- De Pauw N., Roels D. & Fontoura A.P., 1986. Use of artificial substrates for standardized sampling of macroinvertebrates in the assessment of water quality by the Belgian Biotic Index. Hydrobiologia 133: 237-258. -
- De Pauw N. & Vanhooren G., 1983. Method for the biological quality assessment of watercourses in Belgium. Hydrobiologia, 100: 153-168. -
- De Pauw N. & Vannevel R., 1991. Macro-invertebraten en waterkwaliteit. Stichting Leefmilieu, Antwerpen. 316 p. (in Dutch) -
- Gabriels W., Goethals P. L. M. & De Pauw N., 2005. Implications of taxonomic modifications and alien species on biological water quality assessment as exemplified by the Belgian Biotic Index method. Hydrobiologia (2005) 542:137–150. - DOI 10.1007/s10750-004-1452-7
- Gabriels W., Lock K., De Pauw N. & Goethals P.L.M., 2010. Multimetric Macroinvertebrate Index Flanders (MMIF) for biological assessment of rivers and lakes in Flanders (Belgium). Limnologica 40 (2010) 199–207. - doi:10.1016/j.limno.2009.10.001
- NBN, 1984. Qualité biologique des cours d’eau – Determination de l’indice biotique se basant sur les macro-invertébrés aquatiques. / Biologische kwaliteit van de waterlopen – Bepaling van de biotische index steunende op aquatische macro-invertebraten. Norme Belge – Belgische Norm NBN T92-402. Belgisch Instituut voor normalisatie – Institut Belge de Normalisation. 11 p. (in Dutch and French) -
- VMM, 2009. Biological assessment of the natural, heavily modified and artificial surface water bodies in Flanders according to the European Water Framework Directive. Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (VMM), Aalst, Belgium. December 2009. 80 p -
- Robertson T., Döring M., Guralnick R., Bloom D., Wieczorek J. et al., 2014. The GBIF Integrated Publishing Toolkit: Facilitating the Efficient Publishing of Biodiversity Data on the Internet. PLoS ONE 9(8): e102623. - doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102623
- Wieczorek J., Bloom D., Guralnick R., Blum S., Döring M. et al., 2012. Darwin Core: An Evolving Community-Developed Biodiversity Data Standard. PLoS ONE 7(1): e29715. - doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029715
- Boets P., 2013. Impact assessment of alien macroinvertebrates in Flanders (Belgium). PhD thesis, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium. 209 p. -
- Boets P., Brosens D., Lock K., Adriaens T., Aelterman B., Mertens J., Goethals P.L.M., 2016. Alien macroinvertebrates in Flanders (Belgium). Aquatic Invasions (2016) Volume 11, Issue 2: 131–144. - DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3391/ai.2016.11.2.03
- Boets P., Lock K., Goethals P.L.M. (2010b). First record of Synurella ambulans (Müller, 1846) (Amphipoda: Crangonictidae) in Belgium. Belgian Journal of Zoology 140(2): 244-245. -
- Boets P., Lock K., Tempelman D., van Haaren T., Platvoet D., Goethals P.L.M. (2012b). First occurrence of the Ponto-Caspian amphipod Echinogammarus trichiatus (Martynov, 1932) (Crustacea: Gammaridae) in Belgium. Bioinvasion records 1(2): 115-120. -
- Boets P., Lock K., Adriaens T., Mouton A., Goethals P.L.M. (2012c). Distribution of crayfish (Decapoda, Astacoidea) in Flanders (Belgium): an update. Belgian Journal of Zoology 142(1): 86-92. -
- Boets P., Lock K., Adriaens T. & Goethals P., 2014. Exotische macroinvertebraten in Vlaanderen - Verspreiding en impact op inheemse waterfauna. Natuur.focus 13(1): 22-30. (in Dutch) -
- De Somere P., 2008. Datagebaseerde verspreidingsmodellen voor macro-invertebraten in Vlaamse riviersedimenten / Data driven species distribution models for macroinvertebrates in Flemish river sediments. Universiteit Gent, Faculteit Bio-Ingenieurswetenschappen. Academiejaar 2007-2008. Masterproef voorgedragen tot het behalen van de graad van ‘Master in de Milieusanering en het Milieubeheer’. 54 p. -
- Gabriels W., 2007. Multimetric assessment of freshwater macroinvertebrate communities in Flanders, Belgium. PhD thesis. Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium. 207 p. -
- Gabriels W., Goethals P. L. M. & De Pauw N., 2005. Implications of taxonomic modifications and alien species on biological water quality assessment as exemplified by the Belgian Biotic Index method. Hydrobiologia (2005) 542:137–150. - DOI 10.1007/s10750-004-1452-7
- Gabriels W., Lock K., De Pauw N. & Goethals P.L.M., 2010. Multimetric Macroinvertebrate Index Flanders (MMIF) for biological assessment of rivers and lakes in Flanders (Belgium). Limnologica 40 (2010) 199–207. doi:10.1016/j.limno.2009.10.001 -
- Goethals P.L.M., 2005. Data Driven Development of Predictive Ecological Models for Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Rivers - Gegevensgebaseerde Ontwikkeling van Predictieve Ecologische Modellen voor Benthische Macro-invertebraten in Rivieren. Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor (PhD) in Applied Biological Sciences / Proefschrift voorgedragen tot het bekomen van de graad van Doctor in de Toegepaste Biologische Wetenschappen. Academiejaar 2004-2005. Universiteit Gent, Faculteit Bio-ingenieurswetenschappen. 378 p. -
- Goethals P., Gabriels W., Dedecker A., De Cooman W. & De Pauw N., 2006. Analyse van relaties tussen sedimentkarakteristieken en macroinvertebratengemeenschappen a.d.h.v. data mining technieken. Tijdschrift Water (2006): 4 p. -
- Lock K., 2013. First records of trickle midges in Flanders (Diptera : Thaumaleidae). Bulletin de la Société royale belge d’Entomologie/Bulletin van de Koninklijke Belgische Vereniging voor Entomologie, 149 (2013) : 160-162. -
- Lock K., Adriaens T., Goethals P., 2014. Effect of water quality on blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Flanders (Belgium). Limnologica 44 (January 2014): 58–65. -
- Lock K., Dekoninck W., Adriaens T. & Goethals P.L.M., 2012. Distribution and ecology of mosquito larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in Flanders (Belgium). Belg. J. Zool., 142 (2): 138-142. -
- Lock K., Dekoninck W., Van De Meutter F. & Goethals P.L.M., 2012. Effect of water quality on waterbugs (Hemiptera: Gerromorpha & Nepomorpha) in Flanders (Belgium): results from a large-scale field survey. Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim. 49 (2013) 121–128. - DOI: 10.1051/limn/2013047
- Lock K.,. & Goethals P.L.M., 2008. Distribution and ecology of the stoneflies (Plecoptera) of Flanders (Belgium). Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim. 2008, 44 (3: 203 – 213. -
- Lock K.,. & Goethals P.L.M., 2011. Distribution and ecology of the mayflies (Ephemeroptera) of Flanders (Belgium). Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim. 47 (2011): 159–165. - DOI: 10.1051/limn/2011011
- Lock K.,. & Goethals P.L.M., 2012. Distribution and ecology of the caddisflies (Trichoptera) of Flanders (Belgium). Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim. 48 (2012: 31–37. - DOI: 10.1051/limn/2011056
- Lock K.,. & Goethals P.L.M., 2014. Predicting the occurrence of stoneflies (Plecoptera) on the basis of water characteristics, river morphology and land use. Journal of Hydroinformatics 16 (4 ): 812-821. -
- Lock K., Van Haaren T., Tempelman D., Chérot F. & Adriaens T., 2013. Distribution and ecology of soldier fly larvae captured in Flemish surface waters (Diptera : Stratiomyidae). Bulletin de la Société royale belge d’Entomologie/Bulletin van de Koninklijke Belgische Vereniging voor Entomologie, 149 (2013): 150-159. -
- Messiaen M., Lock K., Gabriels W., Vercauteren T., Wouters K., Boets P., Goethals P.L.M., 2010. Alien macrocrustaceans in freshwater ecosystems in the eastern part of Flanders (Belgium). Belgian Journal of Zoology 140(1): 30-39. -
Contacts
Rudy Vanneveloriginator
position: Scientist
Flanders Environment Agency (VMM)
Dr. De Moorstraat 24-26
Aalst
9300
East Flanders
BE
email: r.vannevel@vmm.be
homepage: https://en.vmm.be/
Ward De Cooman
originator
position: Scientist
Flanders Environment Agency (VMM)
Dr. De Moorstraat 24-26
Aalst
9300
East Flanders
BE
Wim Gabriels
originator
position: Scientist
Flanders Environment Agency (VMM)
Dr. De Moorstraat 24-26
Aalst
9300
East Flanders
BE
homepage: https://en.vmm.be/
Frank Lavens
originator
position: Scientist
Flanders Environment Agency (VMM)
Dr. De Moorstraat 24-26
Aalst
9300
East Flanders
BE
homepage: https://en.vmm.be/
Joost Mertens
originator
position: Scientist
Flanders Environment Agency (VMM)
Dr. De Moorstraat 24-26
Aalst
9300
East Flanders
BE
homepage: https://en.vmm.be/
Bart Vervaeke
originator
position: Scientist
Flanders Environment Agency (VMM)
Dr. De Moorstraat 24-26
Aalst
9300
East Flanders
BE
homepage: https://en.vmm.be/
Dimitri Brosens
originator
position: Biodiversity Research Liaison Officer
Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) / Belgian Biodiversity Platform
Havenlaan 88, bus 73
Brussels
1000
Brussels
BE
email: dimitri.brosens@inbo.be
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0846-9116
Dimitri Brosens
metadata author
position: Biodiversity Research Liaison Officer
Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) / Belgian Biodiversity Platform
Havenlaan 88, bus 73
Brussels
1070
Brussels Capital Region
BE
email: dimitri.brosens@inbo.be
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0846-9116
Rudy Vannevel
administrative point of contact
position: Scientist
Flanders Environment Agency (VMM)
Dr. De Moorstraat 24-26
Aalst
9300
East Flanders
BE
email: r.vannevel@vmm.be
homepage: https://en.vmm.be/