Phytostructural characterization of several vegetation types in northern Portugal. II. The structural expressivity and the resistance of the vegetation

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2005

Authors

Crespi, A (Author) Other; Bernardos, S (Author) Other; Castro, A (Author) Other; Cláudia Fernandes (Author) Other; Amich, F (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Plant Biosystems

Vol. 139

Pages: 387-398

ISSN: 1126-3504

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 5 Citations

Scopus - 6 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-0T8

DOI: 10.1080/11263500500333651

Abstract (EN): The encouraging results obtained in a previous work induced the authors to pursue here the characterization of the structure of the vegetation in northern Portugal, using the phytostructural methodology proposed earlier by the authors. With this objective, eight different types of vegetal communities, representative of the apparent states of the successional process present in this area, and representing the diversity of plant community types in the same area, were selected. The phytostructural method was elaborated on the basis of three types of structural basic matrices regarding diversity, abundance and cover. The data obtained were collected in a contingency matrix, which was then treated by means of a statistical multivariate analysis. Three structural tendencies emerged from this analysis. With the aim of studying their stability, the results are discussed in terms of resistance and resilience, according to the Highest Expressive Amplitude (HEA) concept, and by considering the intra- and inter-community structural dynamics as structural parameters. The data obtained suggest structural situations with different degrees of non-equilibrium that reflect resistance to environmental factors. The resistance of the vegetation is correlated with the apparent functional connectivity detected for the communities analysed.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12