Premium
Trajectory analysis of Chinese vegetation types in a multidimensional climatic space
Author(s) -
Sun C. Y.,
Feoli E.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of vegetation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1654-1103
pISSN - 1100-9233
DOI - 10.2307/3235825
Subject(s) - trajectory , vegetation (pathology) , principal component analysis , temperate climate , subtropics , position (finance) , vegetation type , space (punctuation) , vegetation types , physical geography , mathematics , geography , ecology , statistics , computer science , biology , habitat , physics , medicine , finance , pathology , astronomy , grassland , economics , operating system
. The concept of trajectory of a vegetation type is used as a tool to study the position of vegetation types in a multidimensional climatic space. This space was obtained by Principal Component Analysis based on climatic data ‐ based on monthly means. The positions of the main vegetation types distinguished in China were plotted in the climatic space and trajectory lengths and shapes of the types were compared. Three main groups were found, which correspond to: (1) cold and temperate, (2) alpine and mountain, and (3) subtropical and tropical conditions. Within each main category sub‐categories were distinguished on the basis of trajectory length and direction. In total, seven trajectory shapes were defined. Based on the correlation between climatic variables and PCA‐axes temperature is suggested to be the overriding factor in determining the trajectory shape. But, trajectories can also be affected by the combination of other climatic variables.