The eBMS database compiles data from different European Butterfly Monitoring Schemes. The eBMS database already has more than 4000 observing transects by butterfly volunteers in more than 20 different countries across Europe. We want to continue growing to provide better and more accurate results in order to the improvement the butterfly protection measures and conservation plans.
If you have data on butterfly monitoring, we recommend that you join our database and be part of the results produced by the eBMS. One of the most important is the development of European Butterfly Indicators in different ecosystems to assess butterfly conservation status. If new data is included in the eBMS database, some requirements have to be followed in the organization of the data. Here are the different tables and variables required to include new data in the eBMS database.
How to prepare your data for the eBMS database?
In EBMS we use mostly butterfly abundance data collected at the transects. In order to be able to enter new data into the eBMS database, it is necessary to prepare the data in at least three different tables before sending data:
1. Butterfly counting table:
Includes butterfly densities, line of sight ID and date
2. Visit table:
All visits done to the transect, including time and climate variables
3. .Site coordinates table (section coordinates)
Geographical coordinate information of the sections that refer to the projection used in your data.
To integrate your data, you can add other different tables and butterfly species lists (scientific name and local name) to your observation lines that provide habitat type information. These three tables are not essential, but better complement your data.
Tables can be sent in various formats (preferred format: .CSV, .TXT, .RDS or .XLS) to eBMS mail:
You can download the pdf with all the explanations of the eBMS required data to know all the required variables and the exact format of the table. If you need more information and help creating these tables, feel free to contact ebms@ceh.ac.uk
We can help you
Preparing the data in this format can take a lot of effort and time, so you can submit what's available in your dataset and then we can adapt it to the eBMS dataset.