TRISTAR: an expert system for vegetation processes

Hunt, Roderick; Middleton, D.A.J.; Grime, J. Philip; Hodgson, J.

doi:10.1111/j.1468-0394.1991.tb00370.x

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…But we are aware of none similar in scope and structure to SUCCESS. Some are close, such as SETSARIO ( Hill 1990) and TRISTAR ( Hunt et al 1991), which predict succession in set‐aside fields and secondary vegetation changes under changing management in already‐established herbaceous vegetation, and the system predicting invasiveness of plant species ( Tucker & Richardson 1995). Another expert system was developed in 1992 at Texas A&M University by R. Coulson to forecast the infestation of forest plantations by southern pine beetles ( CLIPS 1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prediction of Vegetation Succession in Human‐Disturbed Habitats Using an Expert System

Prach

Pyšek

Šmilauer

1999

Restoration Ecology

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Detailed information, both quantitative and observational, on the course of vegetation succession in various human‐disturbed habitats in Central Europe was used to construct an expert system named SUCCESS. Using the system, it is possible to predict tentatively the sequence of seral stages and dominant species exchange in successional seres initiated on bare ground and lasting up to 50 years. Simple information on geographical position, type of substratum, relief, moisture, nutrient content, character of surrounding vegetation, and size of the disturbed area is taken into consideration to predict site‐specific succession in the particular habitats. The expert system is supposed to help landscape managers, nature conservationists, and environmental impact assessment experts in decision‐making procedures to take into account the development of vegetation in man‐made sites. Moreover, it also summarizes scientific information on the pattern of vegetation change in human‐disturbed habitats in the geographical area considered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prediction of Vegetation Succession in Human‐Disturbed Habitats Using an Expert System

Prach

Pyšek

Šmilauer

1999

Restoration Ecology

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“…However, the C-S-R theory is still seen as a theory of vegetation (Austin and Smith 1989), it is described in terms of habitats (e.g. ''The triangular model proposes that the vegetation that develops in a particular place …' ' Grime 1988b), and it is used to categorise habitats (Grime 1980, 1984, Grime et al 1988, Hunt et al 1991.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

C‐S‐R triangle theory: community‐level predictions, tests, evaluation of criticisms, and relation to other theories

Wilson¹,

Lee²

2000

Oikos

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Grime's C‐S‐R triangle theory has been discussed in plant ecology for two decades, but it has rarely been tested, and not often dispassionately evaluated. We consider the theory from a community viewpoint, and attempt to develop and test predictions for plant communities. C‐S‐R assumes that in high‐disturbance (ruderal, R) patches or habitats, competition will be absent, or low in intensity. Testing this is problematic because of the difficulty of defining the intensity of competition, and we could find no rigorous evidence to support or refute the prediction. The theory also implies that in high‐disturbance habitats there will be no difference in species composition between ‘competition’ and ‘stress’ sites, but from available evidence this does not seem to be true. C‐S‐R assumes that in stressful (S) habitats, competition will be low. This assumption is difficult to define or test, because of the overall difference in plant growth rate between habitats. A prediction from the theory is that in stressful habitats autosuccession should occur, i.e. that the climax species should regenerate directly, with no specialist secondary pioneer (R) species. There is some evidence that autosuccession occurs under the most extreme stresses of various types. Previous criticisms of C‐S‐R are evaluated. Only a few are considered valid, mainly those that emphasise that C‐S‐R theory is a considerable simplification of reality. Previous tests of C‐S‐R theory appear to be inconclusive. C‐S‐R theory is basically a combination of r/K theory and Leaf Amortisation theory. We conclude that there is limited support for the C‐S‐R theory. Whether the gain in generality that the theory offers justifies the loss via simplification that it involves is still an open question. As formulated, it has limited utility as a predictive model in community ecology. Yet, it is currently the most comprehensive and coherent theory for community ecology.

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“…by the larger screening programmes by including a Hunt et al (1991 a) and Hunt et al (19916) gave comprehensive selection of herbaceous and woody concise introductions to the basis of this scheme. In species representing a wide range of British habitats essence, three main functional types are defined as: and plant functional types.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Components of relative growth rate and their interrelations in 59 temperate plant species

Hunt¹,

Cornelissen²

1997

New Phytologist

249

175

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SUMMARYThree groups of species (21 herbaceous monocotyledons, 22 herbaceous dicotyledons and 16 woody dicotyledons), including representatives of a wide range of natural habitats and life forms in inland Britain, were grown in the seedling phase in a resource-rich controlled environment and assessed over a 14-day period (21 d in the case of woody species). Mean values of relative growth rate (RGR), unit leaf rate (ULR), leaf area ratio (LAR), leaf weight fraction (LWT), specific leaf area (SLA), and the root-shoot allometric coefficient were derived.In herbaceous species, the grand mean RGR was 0-20 d~^, comparable to values previously recorded. For woody species, the mean was 0-09 d~^. An existing assumption linking high RGR to high allocation to photosynthetic biomass was upheld by comparisons made between groups. Within groups, however, no pattern of this kind could be demonstrated.When photosynthetically active radiation was increased from 125 to 250 /imol m~^ s"^, ULR was increased almost pro rata. The parallel response in RGR was only slight, being offset by considerable reductions in LAR. The apparent mean quantum yield for photosynthesis in herbaceous species (whole-plant d. wt basis) was 0-60 gmol"^.There was no significant dependence of RGR on ULR in any of the three groups of species, although the absolute magnitude of ULR declined in the order: herbaceous monocotyledons > herbaceous dicotyledons > woody dicotyledons. In all three groups, RGR was strongly dependent upon LAR but no differences emerged in absolute scale of LAR. The absolute scale of mean LWF decreased from herbaceous to woody species, but the dependence of LAR on LWF strengthened. Groups showed no systematic differences in magnitude of SLA, but the correlation of LAR with SLA was strong throughout.Multiple regression showed that the leading determinants of RGR were ULR and SLA in herbaceous species and LWF in woody species. Principal components analyses (PCA) on each of the three groups explained at least 77% of variation and agreed closely with an optimal (non-hierarchical) classification. Only six cluster ' types' were recognized out of the 16 theoretically possible combinations of 'high' or 'low' values of the four growth parameters. Strong evidence of evolutionary trade-offs emerged, most strikingly in that high RGR was never seen in combination with low SLA. The morphological/physiological types identified by an all-groups PCA separated woody from the herbaceous species, but dicotyledons were almost congruent with the monocotyledons.The non-growth-analytical attributes most strongly correlated with mean RGR were percentage yield at a low level of mineral nutrients, leaf nitrogen concentration, and seed weight. It was concluded that mean RGR plays a central role in the identification of pathways of evolutionary specialization in herbaceous species.

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TRISTAR: an expert system for vegetation processes

Abstract: The TRISTAR expert system (TRlungulur STrAtegic Rules for British herbaceous vegetation) is a PC-based consultancy tool designed to help brid Show more

Cited by 9 publications

References 5 publications

Prediction of Vegetation Succession in Human‐Disturbed Habitats Using an Expert System

Prediction of Vegetation Succession in Human‐Disturbed Habitats Using an Expert System

C‐S‐R triangle theory: community‐level predictions, tests, evaluation of criticisms, and relation to other theories

Components of relative growth rate and their interrelations in 59 temperate plant species

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