Vegetation dynamics and plant constraints: separating generalities and specifics

R. van Hulst

doi:10.1556/comec.1.2000.1.3

Jump to Content

Community Ecology

Volume/Issue:: Volume 1: Issue 1

Vegetation dynamics and plant constraints: separating generalities and specifics

Author:

R. van Hulst

R. van Hulst Department of Biological Sciences, Bishop's University Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada J1M 1Z7.

Search for other papers by R. van Hulst in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed

View More View Less

Pages:: 5–12

Online Publication Date:: 26 Jan 2006

Publication Date:: 01 Jul 2000

Article Category:: Journal Article

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1556/comec.1.2000.1.3

Keywords:: Succession; Succession; Succession; Scaling; Vegetation dynamics; Constraints; Trade-offs

Restricted access

Vegetation dynamics is a stochastic process of species replacement after disturbance. It occurs because individual species are limited by general constraints and trade-offs. As these constraints and trade-offs are becoming better known, we understand more about the relationships between disturbance dynamics, species pools, and vegetation dynamics. This paper provides a summary of recent work on plant scaling and ecological trade-offs, and explores its implications for vegetation dynamics. Those aspects of succession that are predictable . given the local species complement . can be understood as consequences of these general patterns and constraints. Several are explored in this paper. The inherently stochastic nature of the process derives from the disturbance dynamics that forces it, from the sampling processes that are responsible for selecting potential invaders, and from the chance processes involved in species interactions. The dynamics of species that invade established communities is the least understood but potentially the most crucial aspect of vegetation dynamics. The relation of community invasion to gap creation and to scaling constraints is briefly discussed.

Save
Cite
Email this content

Share Link

Copy this link, or click below to email it to a friend
Email this content
or copy the link directly:

https://akjournals.com/abstract/journals/168/1/1/article-p5.xml
The link was not copied. Your current browser may not support copying via this button.

Link copied successfully

Collapse
Expand

Community Ecology An Interdisciplinary Journal Reporting Progress in Community and Population Studies

Print ISSN:: 1585-8553

Online ISSN:: 1588-2756

To see the editorial board, please visit the website of Springer Nature.

Manuscript Submission: HERE

For subscription options, please visit the website of Springer Nature.

Community Ecology
Language	English
Size	A4
Year of Foundation	2000
Volumes per Year	1
Issues per Year	3
Founder	Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245
Publisher	Akadémiai Kiadó Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245. CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible Publisher	Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN	1585-8553 (Print)
ISSN	1588-2756 (Online)