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Analysis of Spatial Pattern in Epiphytes
Author(s) -
Hazen William E.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1933943
Subject(s) - epiphyte , poisson distribution , interval (graph theory) , population , position (finance) , ecology , mathematics , tree (set theory) , statistics , biology , combinatorics , demography , finance , sociology , economics
A method is described for transposing the position of epiphytes on a branch to a single straight line segment. Assuming a random pattern after the transposition, when there are N. Intervals along L units of line, the r t h shortest interval between neighboring epiphytes is given by L/N S r i = 1 / 1/N—i + 1. This theory of the distribution of interval length is applied to a population of bromeliads in a tree, and the result compared to a Poisson distribution. The methods agree in leading to the conclusion that the pattern is random. The assumptions made in the model, the conditions under which it is applicable, and the factors leading to different patterns are discussed.