Premium
Towards a classification of the environment and the community of Quercus robur
Author(s) -
Niven B.S.,
Liddle M.J.
Publication year - 1994
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 - 10.2307/3235855
Subject(s) - quercus robur , acorn , sentence , object (grammar) , tree (set theory) , ecology , computer science , habitat , solifluction , artificial intelligence , biology , mathematics , mathematical analysis , paleontology , glacial period
. The environment of the oak Quercus robur is precisely classified using a mathematical definition of the environment of a plant previously developed by the senior author. The definition is explained in words and a minimum of symbolism is used. The inclusion of each object in the environment of the oak is justified by a semi‐formalized sentence, fully translated into ordinary English at the first usage. A diagram known as an ‘envirogram’, originally developed for the animal environment, is described. It presents the classification of the environment of a specific organism in simple graphic form. Two envirograms are given, for acorn and mature oak tree. These are the first plant envirograms to be constructed. A simplified community in a small habitat containing oaks and other organisms is described. It is fully analysed using a minimum of symbolism and classified as being of second order. The method gives mathematical precision to the notion that living organisms in a habitat are functionally related and it provides a modus operandi for the analysis of such a community.