About the European Pollen Database

The European Pollen Database (EPD) is a non-profit structure made available free of charge to the scientific community. An Advisory Board exists to provide scientific guidance and oversight for the database. The EPD is managed on a volunteer basis. New data are accepted from contributors and added to the database continuously. Users of the database can help improve the database by informing the Database Manager of any errors they find in the data.

Following the open meeting of the EPD in May 2007, all aspects of the operation of the database are being debated and developed by an open working group co-ordinated by Richard Bradshaw (richard.bradshaw@liv.ac.uk) and Valérie Andrieu-Ponel (valerie.andrieu@univ-cezanne.fr). You can take part in this process by contacting them. Described below are the original EPD protocols and administration.

Prior to using the database, you are urged to carefully read the Protocols of the European Pollen Database.

The EPD is supervised by an Advisory Board (AB) and Executive Committee (EC). The role of the AB and EC is described as follows. The Advisory Board and the Executive Committee:

1. Should prepare a periodic newsletter.
2. Must follow the same protocols that apply to all other users concerning the use of data (see EPD protocols).
3. Must closely cooperate with the data originator and/or relevant Advisory Board member(s), regional correspondents or taxonomic advisors when making taxonomic decisions.
4. Should assemble a mailing list of Quaternary palynologists in Europe and others associated with European data, and should inform them of the opportunity to contribute to and participate in database development. Should, in addition, announce the development of the database in appropriate newsletters and publications.
5. Should incorporate all data into the database, subject to certain minimum requirements, without assessment of quality.
6. Should organize workshops on matters related to the database and should work to facilitate acquisition of hardware and software by laboratories not having access to these.
7. Should send the protocols to all potential contributors and users.