The basic philosophy of the European Invertebrate Survey and its application

Summary

The success of the survey methods developed in Britain for the production of the ‘Atlas of the British Flora’ and by the Flora Europaea Mapping organisation in Helsinki inspired the setting up of the European Invertebrate Survey in 1969. Since that date almost all European countries have become participants and 22 are represented on the Committee.

Its objectives are 1. the compilation of lists of verified Zoogeographic data which can be used for map making and statistical studies and 2., the publication and interpretation of distribution maps based on the UTM grid with 50 km squares being used for all Europe with 10 km or 5 km squares for maps of individual countries. To further these aims the EIS is actively encouraging and assisting in the setting up of national records centres.

Centres now exist in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Finland, France, Germany (BRD), Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, United Kingdom and Yugoslavia. Maps of more than 1250 species have been produced by the participating countries. In 1974 a special survey of 12 species of Hymenoptera and 12 species of Lepidoptera aimed at publication of maps in 1976 was launched. Preliminary maps for all Europe from this survey have been prepared. Maps of some species of Mollusca and plant Nematodes have also been made.