Phytocoenosis is the collection of flora species within a designated geographical unit, which offers relatively consistent vegetative occurrences. The plant association elements are influenced by soil type, topography, climate and human disturbance. In many cases there are several soil types within a given phytocoenosis.[1] The phytocoenosis includes overstory, or upper tree canopy species as well as understory or lowest tier flora. In some cases of complex forests there is also a well defined middle height tier.
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Examples
An phytocoenosis example is a grassland on the northern Caucasus Steppes, where common grass species found are Festuca sulcata and Poa bulbosa. A common sedge in this grassland phytocoenosis is Carex shreberi. Other representative forbs occurring in these steppes grasslands are Artemisia austriaca and Polygonum aviculare.[2]
An example of a three tiered phytocoenosis is in Central Westland of South Island, New Zealand. These forests are the most extensive continuous reaches of podocarp/broadleaf forests in that country. The overstory includes miro, rimu and mountain totara. The mid-story includes tree ferns such as Cyathea smithii and Dicksonia squarrosa, whilst the lowest tier and epiphytic associates include Asplenium polyodon, Tmesipteris tannensis, Astelia solandri and Blechnum discolor.[3]
See also
References
- Jean-Michel Gobat, Michel Aragno, Willy Matthey and V. A. K. Sarma. 2004. The living soil
- C. Michael Hogan. 2009. Crown Fern: Blechnum discolor, Globaltwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
- J.M. Suttie, Stephen G. Reynolds and Caterina Batello. 2005. Grasslands of the world, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 514 pages
Line notes
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