Formalized classification of species-poor vegetation: a
proposal of a consistent protocol for aquatic vegetation

J 2015

Formalized classification of species-poor vegetation: a proposal of a consistent protocol for aquatic vegetation

LANDUCCI, Flavia, Lubomír TICHÝ, Kateřina ŠUMBEROVÁ and Milan CHYTRÝ

Basic information

Original name

Formalized classification of species-poor vegetation: a proposal of a consistent protocol for aquatic vegetation

Authors

LANDUCCI, Flavia (380 Italy, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Lubomír TICHÝ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Kateřina ŠUMBEROVÁ (203 Czech Republic) and Milan CHYTRÝ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Journal of Vegetation Science, Wiley, 2015, 1100-9233

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10600 1.6 Biological sciences

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 3.151

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/15:00081458

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12277

UT WoS

000356811300018

Keywords in English

Aquatic vegetation; Assignment rules; Association; Cocktail method; Consistency; Functional species group; Physiognomy; Releve; Supervised classification; Vegetation classification; Vegetation database

Abstract

V originále

Aims: Most vegetation classification systems developed for large areas include various inconsistencies. Therefore, we (1) propose a new consistent Cocktail-based approach to redefine the traditional phytosociological classification of species-poor vegetation; (2) apply it to create a classification protocol for aquatic vegetation; (3) implement this protocol in a computer expert system; and (4) test it with a data set previously classified using an older version of the Cocktail method. Methods: The new approach uses formal logic to provide formal definitions of vegetation units. In the classification protocol for aquatic vegetation we defined consistent criteria for delimitation of associations according to the concepts that are predominantly used in phytosociology, based on species cover, dominance patterns and functional species groups. We applied these criteria in a computer expert system running in the JUICE 7.0 program, and applied them to a test data set of 12171 vegetation plots from the Czech Republic containing at least one aquatic species. The new classification was compared with (1) the previous national Cocktail classification based on species cover values and in few cases on sociological species groups, and (2) a non-formalized expert-based classification. Results: Thirteen functional species groups were created to build logical formulas of 64 aquatic associations and 5297 (44% of the total data set) vegetation plots were assigned to these associations, i.e. by 4% and 12% more than in the previous Cocktail and expert-based classifications, respectively. There was 94% and 83% classification agreement with the previous Cocktail and expert-based classification. Conclusions: The new approach produces a formal, consistent and unequivocal classification of species-poor vegetation with several advantages over similar approaches. It provides not only a set of formal definitions of vegetation units, but also a set of rules for building such definitions. All associations with common characteristics are defined by structurally identical formulas, ensuring consistency of the classification. While similar approaches for species-rich vegetation use sociological species groups, which are not applicable to species-poor vegetation, the new approach introduces the use of functional species groups, which reflect vegetation physiognomy and spatial structure and, in combination with species dominance, enable the classification of species-poor vegetation in a similar manner as in traditional phytosociology.

Links

GAP505/11/0732, research and development project

Name: Zobecněná řízená klasifikace v ekologii společenstev

Investor: Czech Science Foundation

GB14-36079G, research and development project

Name: Centrum analýzy a syntézy rostlinné diverzity (PLADIAS) (Acronym: PLADIAS)

Investor: Czech Science Foundation

3SGA5613, interní kód MU

Name: Evropská mokřadní vegetace: syntéza a formalizovaná klasifikace pro ochranu přírody

Investor: South-Moravian Region, European marsh vegetation: synthesis and formalized classifications for nature conservation, Incoming grants

Citovat

LANDUCCI, Flavia, Lubomír TICHÝ, Kateřina ŠUMBEROVÁ and Milan CHYTRÝ. Formalized classification of species-poor vegetation: a proposal of a consistent protocol for aquatic vegetation. Journal of Vegetation Science. Wiley, 2015, vol. 26, No 4, p. 791-803. ISSN 1100-9233. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12277.

@article{1324124,
   author = {Landucci, Flavia and Tichý, Lubomír and Šumberová, Kateřina and Chytrý, Milan},
   article_number = {4},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12277},
   keywords = {Aquatic vegetation; Assignment rules; Association; Cocktail method; Consistency; Functional species group; Physiognomy; Releve; Supervised classification; Vegetation classification; Vegetation database},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {1100-9233},
   journal = {Journal of Vegetation Science},
   title = {Formalized classification of species-poor vegetation: a proposal of a consistent protocol for aquatic vegetation},
   url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.12277/abstract},
   volume = {26},
   year = {2015}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1324124
AU  - Landucci, Flavia - Tichý, Lubomír - Šumberová, Kateřina - Chytrý, Milan
PY  - 2015
TI  - Formalized classification of species-poor vegetation: a proposal of a consistent protocol for aquatic vegetation
JF  - Journal of Vegetation Science
VL  - 26
IS  - 4
SP  - 791-803
EP  - 791-803
PB  - Wiley
SN  - 11009233
KW  - Aquatic vegetation
KW  - Assignment rules
KW  - Association
KW  - Cocktail method
KW  - Consistency
KW  - Functional species group
KW  - Physiognomy
KW  - Releve
KW  - Supervised classification
KW  - Vegetation classification
KW  - Vegetation database
UR  - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.12277/abstract
L2  - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.12277/abstract
N2  - Aims: Most vegetation classification systems developed for large areas include various inconsistencies. Therefore, we (1) propose a new consistent Cocktail-based approach to redefine the traditional phytosociological classification of species-poor vegetation; (2) apply it to create a classification protocol for aquatic vegetation; (3) implement this protocol in a computer expert system; and (4) test it with a data set previously classified using an older version of the Cocktail method. Methods: The new approach uses formal logic to provide formal definitions of vegetation units. In the classification protocol for aquatic vegetation we defined consistent criteria for delimitation of associations according to the concepts that are predominantly used in phytosociology, based on species cover, dominance patterns and functional species groups. We applied these criteria in a computer expert system running in the JUICE 7.0 program, and applied them to a test data set of 12171 vegetation plots from the Czech Republic containing at least one aquatic species. The new classification was compared with (1) the previous national Cocktail classification based on species cover values and in few cases on sociological species groups, and (2) a non-formalized expert-based classification. Results: Thirteen functional species groups were created to build logical formulas of 64 aquatic associations and 5297 (44% of the total data set) vegetation plots were assigned to these associations, i.e. by 4% and 12% more than in the previous Cocktail and expert-based classifications, respectively. There was 94% and 83% classification agreement with the previous Cocktail and expert-based classification. Conclusions: The new approach produces a formal, consistent and unequivocal classification of species-poor vegetation with several advantages over similar approaches. It provides not only a set of formal definitions of vegetation units, but also a set of rules for building such definitions. All associations with common characteristics are defined by structurally identical formulas, ensuring consistency of the classification. While similar approaches for species-rich vegetation use sociological species groups, which are not applicable to species-poor vegetation, the new approach introduces the use of functional species groups, which reflect vegetation physiognomy and spatial structure and, in combination with species dominance, enable the classification of species-poor vegetation in a similar manner as in traditional phytosociology.
ER  -

LANDUCCI, Flavia, Lubomír TICHÝ, Kateřina ŠUMBEROVÁ and Milan CHYTRÝ. Formalized classification of species-poor vegetation: a proposal of a consistent protocol for aquatic vegetation. \textit{Journal of Vegetation Science}. Wiley, 2015, vol.~26, No~4, p.~791-803. ISSN~1100-9233. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12277.

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