TY - JOUR
T1 - Plant functional classifications
T2 - From general groups to specific groups based on response to disturbance
AU - Lavorel, S.
AU - McIntyre, S.
AU - Landsberg, J.
AU - Forbes, T. D.A.
PY - 1997/12
Y1 - 1997/12
N2 - Predicting the effects of anthropogenic changes in climate, atmospheric composition and land use on vegetation patterns has been a central concern of recent ecological research. This aim has revived the search for classification schemes that can be used to group plant species according to their response to specified environmental factors. One way forward is to adopt a hierarchical classification, where different sets of traits are examined depending on growth form. Also, at the level of interpretation, the environmental context and purpose of functional classifications need to be specified explicitly, so that global generalizations can be made by comparing across environments functional classifications derived from similar methodologies.
AB - Predicting the effects of anthropogenic changes in climate, atmospheric composition and land use on vegetation patterns has been a central concern of recent ecological research. This aim has revived the search for classification schemes that can be used to group plant species according to their response to specified environmental factors. One way forward is to adopt a hierarchical classification, where different sets of traits are examined depending on growth form. Also, at the level of interpretation, the environmental context and purpose of functional classifications need to be specified explicitly, so that global generalizations can be made by comparing across environments functional classifications derived from similar methodologies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031425520&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0169-5347(97)01219-6
DO - 10.1016/S0169-5347(97)01219-6
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:0031425520
SN - 0169-5347
VL - 12
SP - 474
EP - 478
JO - Trends in Ecology and Evolution
JF - Trends in Ecology and Evolution
IS - 12
ER -