Abstract
Current methods for the determination of the minimal area of a phytocoenosis are compared. A new method is described. It is based on the increase in average quantitative similarity between plots in series of nested plots of increasing size in relation to species richness and dominance relations. A simulation model composed of coenotic molecules sensu Moravec is developed from which these relations can be deduced. Both a quantita tive and a qualitative minimal area are derived in this way. The analytical minimal area is then defined in relation to the largest of the two minimal area values, because in this way both the species richness and the dominance relations will be represented.
Some examples of grasslands and heathlands are presented. Some further investigations are suggested to improve the approach and to link it with pattern and dominance-diversity studies.
Nomenclature of plant species follows Heukels-van Oost-stroom (1977), of syntaxa Westhoff & den Held (1969) and de Smidt (1975)
We thank Dr. Jaroslav Moravec, Průhonice, for discussions, Drs. Onno van Tongeren, Nijmegen for help with calculations and Cyril Liebrand and Leo Mertens, Nijmegen for help with salt marsh analyses and discussions on dominance-diversity relations.
Research was carried out when the authors were at the Division of Geobotany, University of Nijmegen.
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© 1985 Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht
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Dietvorst, P., van der Maarel, E., van der Putten, H. (1985). A new approach to the minimal area of a plant community. In: Peet, R.K. (eds) Plant community ecology: Papers in honor of Robert H. Whittaker. Advances in vegetation science, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5526-4_16
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5526-4_16
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