Abstract
Our objective was to examine the relationships between patterns of vertical structure and species microassociations at various scales in a species-rich chalk grassland.
Transect data were analyzed for species microassociations by multiscale ordination of presence data from the Gerendal Nature Reserve, The Netherlands. Results indicated microassociations at scales of 30 cm, 2 m, 3 m, and 10 or more m. The microassociations at each scale comprised different but overlapping constellations of species.
For the same transect, profile photographs were taken through the vegetation against a white background, and image analysis was used to provide indices of vegetation vertical cover, height and vertical center of biomass. Pattern analysis of these data indicated a regular pattern at a scale of 3 m.
Standardized cross-variograms of the patterns of microassociations and vertical structure revealed only very weak relationships, even though one microassociation pattern and the vertical structure patterns occurred at the scale of 3 m. This is because the two 3 m patterns fell in and out of phase.
Nomenclature
Heukels, H. & van der Meijden, R. 1983. Flora van Nederland, 10th ed. Groningen.
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Abbreviations
- PCA:
-
principal components analysis
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© 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers
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Ver Hoef, J.M., Glenn-Lewin, D.C., Werger, M.J.A. (1990). Relationship between horizontal pattern and vertical structure in a chalk grassland. In: Grabherr, G., Mucina, L., Dale, M.B., Ter Braak, C.J.F. (eds) Progress in theoretical vegetation science. Advances in vegetation science, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1934-1_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1934-1_12
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