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On the concept of vegetation class in phytosociology
Author(s) -
Pignatti S.,
Oberdorfer E.,
Schaminée J.H.J.,
Westhoff V.
Publication year - 1995
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 - 10.2307/3236265
Subject(s) - phytosociology , vegetation (pathology) , ecology , geography , plant community , vegetation classification , ecological succession , biology , medicine , pathology
. The vegetation class is generally accepted as the highest category in vegetation taxonomy. Vegetation classes, following the tradition, are defined mainly on the basis of character species. However, these are sometimes relatively rare and not always really representative of the ecological conditions of plant communities included in the class. In the present study the possibilities are discussed for a more comprehensive definition of the class, including spatial structure and environmental characteristics of the vegetation and the geographical distribution of character species. These include criteria with practical value, in particular for the understanding of vegetation in tropical areas. Some cases of well‐known vegetation classes are discussed; in most of them the ranges of single character species and the range of the class as a whole largely coincide.