Principles of classification

Abstract

During the last few decades a discussion has started concerning the use of objective and subjective criteria for the classification of vegetation types and it has become quite clear that there are many degrees of subjectivity. Starting-points for a classification are, for instance, faithful species or differential combinations of species (e. g. Braun-Blanquet, 1964); presence and affinity indices (e. g. Sørensen, 1948), multivariate analyses (Williams & Lambert, 1959–1961), discriminant function (Goodall, 1953), factor analysis (Dagnelie, 1960) and, more particularly for ordination, the methods of gradient analysis according to the Wisconsin school (e. g. Bray & Curtis, 1957) and Whittaker (e. g. 1957).