Premium
Classification of dry grassland vegetation in Denmark
Author(s) -
Bruun Hans Henrik,
Ejrnæs Rasmus
Publication year - 2000
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 - 10.2307/3246588
Subject(s) - grassland , vegetation (pathology) , phytosociology , ordination , vegetation classification , plant community , floristics , abiotic component , ecology , geography , indicator value , environmental science , indicator species , homogeneous , species richness , biology , mathematics , habitat , medicine , pathology , combinatorics
. A hierarchic classification of Danish semi‐natural grassland vegetation on well‐drained soils is presented. TWINSPAN was used for clustering of 614 samples of grassland vegetation showing floristic gradients and turnover in species composition in more dimensions. The optimal hierarchic level of clustering was determined by indicator species analysis. The classification was interpreted in terms of variables relating to abiotic environment and vegetation structure and to major ecoclines previously identified by gradient analysis. The 12 final clusters were compared to syntaxa of formal phytosociology and to communities in the British Vegetation Classification. Criteria for achieving floristically homogeneous clusters without sacrificing the ecological interpretability and validity of the clusters in time and along geographical gradients are discussed.