Abstract
We propose an equation to evaluate the efficiency of a classification as a function of the effort required and the population size of data collectors. The formula postulates a “classification efficiency coefficient”, which relates not only to the complexity of the object to be classified, but also to the data availability and representativeness. When applied to the classification of phytocoenoses, the equation suggests that a classification system based on vascular plants offers the best compromise between sampling effort, resolution power and data availability. We discuss the possibility of basing a vegetation classification on plot records for all macroscopic photoautotrophic organisms co-occurring in the vertical projection of a given ground area, as recently suggested by some authors. We argue that the inclusion of cryptogams in the description of phytocoenoses dominated by vascular plants should rely on a synusial approach, conceived as complementary to the traditional Braun-Blanquet approach. Syntaxonomic reference: Mucina et al (2016).
Highlights
Classification is one of the most fundamental and characteristic activities of the human mind and underlies all forms of science (Crowson 1970)
Based on the assumption that non-vascular plants can be important structural elements of vegetation, Berg et al (2020) suggest that a consistent vegetation classification system should be based as much as possible on plot records for all macroscopic photoautotrophic organisms co-occurring in the vertical projection of a given ground area
If we assume that the vegetation v of a given area consists of discrete units formed by different assemblages of the n species belonging to the local species pool, we can write for the coefficient P(n,v) an heuristic expression containing: a) the ratio, in which neff is the number of species recorded during the sampling effort; b) the ratio, in which veff is the number of vegetation units identified
Summary
Classification is one of the most fundamental and characteristic activities of the human mind and underlies all forms of science (Crowson 1970). In the case of vascular plants, the dispersal of seeds may be somewhat random, but germination and seedling establishment are regulated by environmental constraints and the plants come to organize themselves into communities in which relationships of coexistence regulate the species distribution in space (patterns and frequency), in time (phenology and turnover), and in many other. Based on the assumption that non-vascular plants can be important structural elements of vegetation, Berg et al (2020) suggest that a consistent vegetation classification system should be based as much as possible on plot records for all macroscopic photoautotrophic organisms co-occurring in the vertical projection of a given ground area. The aim of this paper is to propose a mathematical formulation for classification efficiency and to discuss some practical and epistemological consequences when applying the recommendations of Berg et al (2020)
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