DIGITAF - Agrobiodiversity occurrences in and around tree row bordered cereal fields in Flanders, Belgium

Sampling event
Latest version published by Ghent University on May 12, 2026 Ghent University
Publication date:
May 12, 2026
Published by:
Ghent University
License:
CC0 1.0

Download the latest version of this resource data as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A) or the resource metadata as EML or RTF:

Data as a DwC-A file download 377 records in English (147 KB) - Update frequency: not planned
Metadata as an EML file download in English (20 KB)
Metadata as an RTF file download in English (14 KB)

Description

DIGITAF - Agrobiodiversity occurrences in and around tree row bordered cereal fields in Flanders, Belgium is a sampling event dataset published by Ghent University. It contains information on an exhaustive sampling event in 64 Flemish plots across 27 cereal fields. At each field, a plot was established in a bordering tree row (tree), in a treeless field margin (crtl) and in 10 fields we had the permission to sample in the field (crop). Fields were selected along a gradient of landscape composition across the available Flemish palette of landscapes. The dataset includes information on a biodiversity balance sampled as a snapshot with high taxonomic resolution. Mentioned groups were identified by any of our co-authors (unless otherwise indicated) to high taxonomic resolution (generally species level). Methods applied incorporated (i) 2 pitfall traps (14 days, Ø 9cm, d 11cm, autoantifreeze dilution, June) for beetles (Histeridae, Carabidae, Staphylinidae), spiders, ants, isopods, millipedes, centipedes and harvestmen, (ii) a transect walk (50m, 15', May-June & September) along the plot for lepidoptera, bees, wasps, flies and pollinating beetles, (iii) a vegetation quadrat of 10m² (2x5 or 1x10, depending on margin width, May-June) for plants and (iv) AudioMoth deployment between 05:15 CET-10:00 CET, 19:30-22:00 CET and 22:30-02:00 CET (48h, 1' per 15', 0-96 kHz, May-June) for birds and bats. Audiofiles were processed with BTO acoustic pipeline and the BirdNET analyzer with manual verification afterwards. Bat and bird data are presented in presence (under one date, better resolution data can be requested), plant data in cover percentage and all other data in number of individuals caught. A metadata-file with parcel specifications will be published with the Zenodo-records of this dataset and can be requested through our contacts. With the same records, we will also publish the validated activity-based dataset for bats.We have released this dataset under a Creative Commons waiver. If you have any questions regarding this dataset, don't hesitate to contact us via the contact information provided in the metadata.This sampling took place in the framework of the DIGItal Tools to help AgroForestry (<a href="https://digitaf.eu/">DigitAF</a>) project (grant agreement no. 101059794), co-funded by the European Commission and the European Research Agency, within the Horizon Europe programme. This dataset was published with technical support provided by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). We thank Jef Hendrix for verifying some hoverfly specimens.

Data Records

The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 377 records.

1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.

Event (core)
377
Occurrence 
5446

This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Versions

The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.

How to cite

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

Vandendriessche J, Eeraerts M, De Frenne P, De Smedt P, Baert L, De Ketelaere A, Dekoninck W, D'Haeseleer J, Lock K, Van den Bossche A, Vandendriessche B, Van Keer J, Van Kerckvoorde M, Willems L, Govaert S, Verheyen K (2026). DIGITAF - Agrobiodiversity occurrences in and around tree row bordered cereal fields in Flanders, Belgium. Version 1.3. Ghent University. Samplingevent dataset. https://ipt.inbo.be/resource?r=digitaf_flanders&v=1.3

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is Ghent University. To the extent possible under law, the publisher has waived all rights to these data and has dedicated them to the Public Domain (CC0 1.0). Users may copy, modify, distribute and use the work, including for commercial purposes, without restriction.

GBIF Registration

This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 8ac6a904-657c-4b34-9d5f-1673a3d24376.  Ghent University publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by Belgian Biodiversity Platform.

Keywords

Samplingevent; biodiversity; hedgerows; agroforestry; landscape; beetles; spiders; ants; lepidoptera; bees; wasps; flies; plants; birds; bats

Contacts

Jari Vandendriessche
  • Metadata Provider
  • Originator
  • Point Of Contact
Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University
Maxime Eeraerts
  • Originator
Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University; Estación Biológica de Doñana
Pieter De Frenne
  • Originator
Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University
Pallieter De Smedt
  • Originator
Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University; SPINICORNIS; ARABEL
Léon Baert
  • Originator
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Augustijn De Ketelaere
  • Originator
Aculea, Natuurpunt; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (scientific collaborator)
Wouter Dekoninck
  • Originator
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Jens D'Haeseleer
  • Originator
Aculea, Natuurpunt Studie
Koen Lock
  • Originator
Astrid Van den Bossche
  • Originator
Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University
Bob Vandendriessche
  • Originator
Bat Working Group, Natuurpunt
Johan Van Keer
  • Originator
ARABEL
Marc Van Kerckvoorde
  • Originator
Luc Willems
  • Originator
Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University
Sanne Govaert
  • Originator
  • Point Of Contact
Research Institute for Nature and Forest
Kris Verheyen
  • Originator
Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University

Geographic Coverage

Flemish cereal fields

Bounding Coordinates South West [50.758, 2.808], North East [51.114, 5.004]

Taxonomic Coverage

No Description available

Kingdom Plantae
Class Aves, Diplopoda, Chilopoda
Order Araneae, Isopoda, Hymenoptera, Chiroptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Opiliones, Orthoptera

Temporal Coverage

Start Date / End Date 2023-05-18 / 2023-09-14

Project Data

Combining trees with crops or livestock on the same land has the potential to mitigate climate change. As a resilient agricultural practice, agroforestry (AF) can sequester carbon, preserve biodiversity and contribute to food security by diversifying agricultural production. The EU-funded DIGITAF project will promote AF systems. Specifically, it will co-develop digital tools tailored to the needs and concerns of AF target groups, including policy actors, practitioners and actors involved in the AF value chain. The project will implement six Living Labs in different countries to ensure an end-user-centred multi-actor approach. Bringing together 25 partners from 20 countries, DIGITAF will cover the entire AF value chain. It will contribute to farm sustainability, climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation and soil conservation.

Title DIGItal Tools to boost AgroForestry (DigitAF)
Funding Grant agreement no. 101059794, co-funded by the European Commission and the European Research Agency, within the Horizon Europe programme
Study Area Description Europe
Design Description Work package 3: Task 3.3: Co-develop, apply and verify a tool to quantify the biodiversity impact of agroforestry The goal of WP3 Task3 is twofold: - Quantifying biodiversity returns through agroforestry implementation with a digital tool for stakeholders - Assembling biodiversity data to validate and incorporate in this tool Why this research particularly? Research is lacking on the biodiversity effects of agroforestry systems in temperate Europe, especially in relation to the surrounding landscape context. We try to fill this gap at least partially. How? 27 cereal fields were selected along a gradient of landscape complexity throughout Flanders, each bordered with a hedgerow (tree row). We used the proxy of a tree row for agroforestry since mature agroforestry fields are rare.

The personnel involved in the project:

Jari Vandendriessche
Pieter De Frenne
Kris Verheyen

Additional Metadata

Alternative Identifiers 8ac6a904-657c-4b34-9d5f-1673a3d24376
https://ipt.inbo.be/resource?r=digitaf_flanders