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Fuzzy set ordination and classification of Serengeti short grasslands, Tanzania
Author(s) -
Banyikwa Feetham F.,
Feoli Enrico,
Zuccarello Vincenzo
Publication year - 1990
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 - 10.2307/3236059
Subject(s) - ordination , grassland , ecology , geography , vegetation (pathology) , plant community , disturbance (geology) , abundance (ecology) , species richness , biology , medicine , pathology , paleontology
Abstract. Species abundance data from 32 representative stands are used to evaluate the vegetation in the heavily grazed Serengeti short grasslands. The abundant species are: Kyllinga nervosa, Sporobolus ioclados, S. kentro‐phyllus and Eustachys paspaloides , all occurring in elevated areas, and Hypoestes forskalei , which is found in the drainage areas. Numerical classification and fuzzy set ordination revealed four main grassland communities associated with a topographic gradient. The communities are considered distinct since their niches, as computed in the community and environmental fuzzy system space are not overlapping. Leaching, erosion and animal disturbance effects correlated with the topographic gradient are found to determine species composition and overall community structure in the grasslands.