The dynamics of a therophytic community in relation to self-regulation, herbivores and environmental variation
Title | The dynamics of a therophytic community in relation to self-regulation, herbivores and environmental variation |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 1992 |
Authors | Acosta, F. J., López F., & Serrano J. M. |
Journal | Vegetatio |
Volume | 98 |
Issue | 1 |
Pagination | 59 - 71 |
Date Published | 1992/// |
Keywords | Ants, Environmental influence, Granivory, Grasses, Markovian models, Vegetation dynamics |
Abstract | The dynamics of a therophytic plant community in Central Spain has been studied, taking into account endogenous and exogenous factors. Using a simplified descriptive resolution a multi-species grass community and four canopy density types have been described in permanent quadrats. Transition matrices expressing the changes of vegetation state have been constructed. The importance of self- regulation was shown by the dependence of successive transitions on each other (highly significative log-linear models). The functioning cannot however be explained through a strict Markovian model because the transition probabilities are not stationary. The external local factors tested (microtopography, compactness and granivory) do not have a consistent effect on the vegetation dynamics, being variable over years, implying the importance of other more general factors on vegetation dynamics. Making transition probabilities dependent on external environmental factors rep |
URL | http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/BF00031637 |