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Some notes on complexity in vegetation
Author(s) -
Pignatti Sandro
Publication year - 1996
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 - 10.2307/3236410
Subject(s) - attractor , vegetation (pathology) , process (computing) , computer science , competition (biology) , ecology , complex system , dynamical systems theory , state (computer science) , statistical physics , mathematics , physics , artificial intelligence , biology , mathematical analysis , quantum mechanics , algorithm , medicine , pathology , operating system
. Vegetation is considered as a complex system with many subsystems. The system functions by using solar radiation as energy source and producing biomass and biodiversity. The different subsystems are connected by feedback loops and interact in a process of self‐organisation. It appears impossible to characterize this system with mathematical expressions, because most of the basic processes are non‐linear. Instead, vegetation can be described with dynamical models. Selection, competition as well as positive interactions can occur. The model accounts for the general dynamics, particularly fluctuations (when the system is in a steady state) and the climax situation. Many problems remain open: e.g. arbitrary limits of the system and its subsystems, macrostate/microstate relationships, thresholds and attractors. Single aspects of the subsystems can be linearized, but not the system as a whole and consequently its behaviour remains unpredictable.