The Individualistic Concept of the Plant Association

Gleason, H. A.

doi:10.2307/2420377

Cited by 940 publications

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“…Gleason's (1926) concept of species having individualistic distributions along the gradient though influenced by competition is only one possible realisation. Trees, shrubs and herbs may vary independently of each other but partition the environmental gradient according to conventional niche theory (Fig.…”

Section: Biotic Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial prediction of species distribution: an interface between ecological theory and statistical modelling

Austin¹

2002

Ecological Modelling

1,511

1,275

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Neglect of ecological knowledge is a limiting factor in the use of statistical modelling to predict species distribution. Three components are needed for statistical modelling, an ecological model concerning the ecological theory to be used or tested, a data model concerning the collection and measurement of the data, and a statistical model concerning the statistical theory and methods used. This component framework is reviewed with emphasis on ecological theory. The expected shape of a species response curve to an environmental gradient is a central assumption on which agreement has yet to be reached. The nature of the environmental predictors whether indirect variables, e.g. latitude that have no physiological impact on plants, or direct variables, e.g. temperature also influence the type of response expected. Straight-line relationships between organisms and environment are often used uncritically. Many users of canonical correlation analysis use linear (straight-line) functions to relate ordination axes to variables such as slope and aspect though this is not a necessary part of the method. Some statisticians have used straight lines for species/environment relationships without testing, when evaluating new statistical procedures. Assumptions used in one component often conflict with those in another component. Statistical models can be used to explore ecological theory. Skewed species response curves predominate contrary to the symmetric unimodal curves assumed by some statistical methods. Improvements in statistical modelling can be achieved based on ecological concepts. Examples include incorporating interspecific competition from dominant species; more proximal predictors based on water balance models and spatial autocorrelation procedures to accommodate non-equilibrium vegetation. #

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Section: Biotic Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial prediction of species distribution: an interface between ecological theory and statistical modelling

Austin¹

2002

Ecological Modelling

1,511

1,275

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“…It takes for granted that plant species assemblages recur, or compositional gradients can be dissected in a helpful way. This issue has caused controversy in the past (see Mueller-Dombois & Ellenberg 1974), which can be traced back to the historical antagonism between the community concept (Humboldt 1807) and alternatives such as the individualistic view or the continuum concept (Gleason 1926;Austin 1985). Since class limits in feature space (and the criteria for defining them) tend to be a source of dispute and uncertainty, it is an obvious thing to search for complementary mapping methods that do without classification.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping the floristic continuum: Ordination space position estimated from imaging spectroscopy

Schmidtlein

Zimmermann

Schüpferling

et al. 2007

J Vegetation Science

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Objective: To present a non-classificatory technique of map representation of compositional patterns of vegetation as no two plant species assemblages are completely alike and gradations often occur. Variation is depicted as continuous fields instead of classes. Location: Murnauer Moos, Bavaria. Methods: The study combined vegetation ecology and remote sensing methods. The gradual representation of compositional patterns was based on techniques of ordination and regression, instead of mapping class fractions. The floristic field data were collected in relevés and subjected to three-dimensional non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS). The reflectance information corresponding to plots was gathered from remotely sensed imagery with a high spectral resolution. Reflectance values in numerous wavelengths were related to NMS axes scores by partial least squares regression analysis. The regression equations were applied to the imagery and yielded three grey-scale images, one for each ordination axis. These three images were transformed into a red, green, and blue colour map with a specific colour for each position in the ordination space. Similar colours corresponded to similar species compositions. Results: Compositional variation was mapped accurately (R 2 = 0.79), using continuous fields. The results took account of various types of stand transitions and of heterogeneities within stands. The map representation featured relatively homogeneous stands and abrupt transitions between stands as well as within-stand heterogeneity and gradual transitions. Conclusions: The use of NMS in combination with imaging spectroscopy proved to be an expedient approach for nonclassificatory map representations of compositional patterns. Ordination is efficiently extended into the geographic domain. The approach in abandoning pre-defined plant communities is able to reconcile mapping practice and complex reality.

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“…The Tansley refusal of the Clementsian worldview followed in the footsteps of Gleason's refusal. Gleason (1917Gleason ( , 1926 maintained an atomistic and individualistic point of view on plant association. The lack of limits and structure of the associations was the fundamental reason that pushed him to see in these ecological entities the result of random immigration and environmental variations.…”

Section: From Organicism To the Oxymoronic "Reductionist Holism" Of Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Multifaceted Ecology Between Organicism, Emergentism and Reductionism

Bergandi

2011

Ecology Revisited

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The classical holism-reductionism debate, which has been of major importance to the development of ecological theory and methodology, is an epistemological patchwork. At any moment, there is a risk of it slipping into an incoherent, chaotic Tower of Babel. Yet philosophy, like the sciences, requires that words and their correlative concepts be used rigorously and univocally. The prevalent use of everyday language in the holism-reductionism issue may give a false impression regarding its underlying clarity and coherence. In reality, the conceptual categories underlying the debate have yet to be accurately defined and consistently used. There is a need to map out a clear conceptual, logical and epistemological framework. To this end, we propose a minimalist epistemological foundation. The issue is easier to grasp if we keep in mind that holism generally represents the ontological background of emergentism, but does not necessarily coincide with it. We therefore speak in very loose terms of the "holism-reductionism" debate, although it would really be better characterised by the terms emergentism and reductionism. The confrontation between these antagonistic paradigms unfolds at various semantic and operational levels. In definitional terms, there is not just emergentism and reductionism, but various kinds of emergentisms and reductionisms.In fact, Ayala (1974; see also Ruse 1988;Mayr 1988;Beckermann et al. 1992;Jones 2000) have proposed a now classic trilogy among various semantic domains -ontology, methodology and epistemology. This trilogy has been used as a kind of epistemological screen to interpret the reductionist field. It is just as meaningful and useful, however, to apply the same trilogy to the emergentist field. By revealing the basic assumptions of each, we should be better able to understand the points that are similar and shared, as well as the incommensurable ones.The first question regarding the emergentism and reductionism debate concerns the type of explanation the sciences are seeking. At present in the sciences -from physics to the human sciences -the ontological and epistemological foundation is essentially naturalistic and materialistic, meaning that all natural (or social) objects, events and processes can be understood without reference to extra-or supernatural (vitalistic or theological) entities,

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The Individualistic Concept of the Plant Association

Cited by 940 publications

References 0 publications

Spatial prediction of species distribution: an interface between ecological theory and statistical modelling

Spatial prediction of species distribution: an interface between ecological theory and statistical modelling

Mapping the floristic continuum: Ordination space position estimated from imaging spectroscopy

Multifaceted Ecology Between Organicism, Emergentism and Reductionism

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