This dataset is contains herbarium specimens collected in the Dzanga-Sangha Reserve in the Central African Republic. These data are collected and used by David Harris at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, scientific collaboration are welcomed, please get in touch with a point of contact.

The Pararé camp was created in 1995. It is located along the Arataye river, just downstream from a rapid (’saut’) that is difficult to pass by boat. The camp itself is an ensemble of traditional ’carbets’, including one for the laboratory and one for the kitchen. The maximum housing capacity is 18 people.

The COPAS project (Canopy Operating Permanent Acces System) is a canopy-access system of a novel type. Three 45-m poles have been set up spaced about 180 m from each other in a triangular shape. They are linked through cables above the canopy. A one-person seat is hung to the system and motors permit the passenger to travel in three dimensions of space. The three towers represent a total footprint of ca. 1.5 ha. (Forecast date of operation : 2014)

The Nouragues Ecological Research Station is a scientific station managed by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. It is located at the heart of a tropical rain forest, in the Nouragues Natural Reserve, French Guiana. It is a privileged equipment for the study of the functioning of tropical forests and their biodiversity. The Nouragues station is organized around two permanent camps (Inselberg camp and Pararé camp), 8 km away from each other. These two sites are equipped to welcome scientists from a few days to several months.

This dataset gathers the floristic composition in a network of about 100 transects across terra firme forests in Gabon, considering stems above or equal to 5 cm diameter at breast height. In each transect, the following data are collected : 1. Diameter at breast height (dbh), 2. Species identification. Herbarium samples are conserved at the Herbarium of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (BRLU, Belgium) and the database is frequently updated by ULB's botanists. 3. GPS geolocation. These data are collected and used by Evolutionnary Biology and Ecology unit from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), Central Africa Program.

The site Crique Bastien is composed of two 3km-transects (20m wide). 2608 trees with dbh>=20cm have been recorded by Office national des forêts (ONF). No fauna inventories available. No under-storey plants inventories are available. Soils have been described using 3 samples (1.20m depth max.). No laboratory analysis available for soils.

This “Inventaire Papetier” was conducted by ONF in 1976. The block covers 22 087 ha. 54 020 trees have been inventoried in 235 plots (164 ha) Pre-census DBH is 10 cm on one plot out of two and 40 cm on the others. DBH have been measured by classes with a range of 10 cm. Plots have been located on GIS in 2010 using original maps and field note-books (indicating slopes, rivers, etc...).

Guyafor is a network of permanent forest plots installed in French Guiana. The site of Risquetout covers a 23,7ha area. It is composed of 4 plots managed by ONF. 7174 trees are being followed since 1995. 9 campaignes of inventories have been made in 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009.

The Nouragues forestry experimental site is located the Nouragues experimental station in French Guiana (other experimental sites than Nouragues plots are established in Nouragues station). This experimental site is composed by several plots not contiguous, some of them are divided into smaller plots (1ha). For each plot, the following information is recorded for all trees and lianas with DBH ≥ 10cm : 1. location of individuals inside the plot, 2. botanical identification (when it is possible), 3. diameter at breast height, or 30 cm above last aerial root, last buttress or last irregularity, 4. total height of tree (subsample). Since 2012, on Grand Plateau and Petit Plateau : 1. coefficient of light exposure 2. coefficient of infestation by lianas in tree crown.

Guyafor is a network of permanent forest plots installed in French Guiana. The site of Régina St Georges covers a 14ha area. It is composed of one plot managed by ONF. 8587 trees are being followed since 2003. 5 campaignes of inventories have been made in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009.