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Plant Ecology & Diversity on the Delineation of Tropical Vegetation

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Plant Ecology & Diversity on the Delineation of Tropical Vegetation This article was downloaded by: [JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY] On: 27 October 2013, At: 17:27 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Plant Ecology & Diversity Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tped20 On the delineation of tropical vegetation types with an emphasis on forest/savanna transitions Mireia Torello-Raventos a b , Ted R. Feldpausch b , Elmar Veenendaal c , Franziska Schrodt b , Gustavo Saiz a , Tomas F. Domingues d , Gloria Djagbletey e , Andrew Ford f , Jeanette Kemp g , Beatriz S. Marimon h , Ben Hur Marimon Junior h , Eddie Lenza h , James A. Ratter i , Leandro Maracahipes h , Denise Sasaki j , Bonaventure Sonké k , Louis Zapfack v , Hermann Taedoumg k , Daniel Villarroel l , Michael Schwarz m , Carlos A. Quesada b n , F. Yoko Ishida n , Gabriela B. Nardoto o p , Kofi Affum-Baffoe q , Luzmilla Arroyo l , David M.J.S. Bowman r , Halidou Compaore s , Kalu Davies a , Adama Diallo t , Nikolaos M. Fyllas b , Martin Gilpin b , Fidèle Hien s , Michelle Johnson b , Timothy J. Killeen l u , Daniel Metcalfe f , Heloisa S. Miranda p , Mark Steininger u , John Thomson a , Karle Sykora c , Eric Mougin w , Pierre Hiernaux w , Michael I. Bird a , John Grace d , Simon L. Lewis b x , Oliver L. Phillips b & Jon Lloyd a b a School of Earth and Environmental Science, James Cook University , Cairns , Australia b Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds , Leeds , UK c Centre for Ecosystem Studies, University of Wageningen , Wageningen , the Netherlands d School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh , Edinburgh , UK e Forest Research Institute of Ghana , Kumasi , Ghana f CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences Tropical Forest Research Centre , Atherton , Australia g Queensland Herbarium , Townsville , Australia h Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso , Nova Xavantina , Brazil i Royal Botanic Garden , Edinburgh , UK j Fundação Ecológica Cristalino , Alta Floresta , Brazil k Plant Systematics and Ecology Lab, Department of Biology , University of Yaoundé I , Yaoundé , Cameroon l Museo Noel Kempff Mercado , Santa Cruz , Bolivia m Fieldwork Assistance , Jena , Germany n Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia , Manaus , Brazil o Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura , São Paulo , Brazil p Universidade de Brasilia , District Federal , Brazil q Resource Management Support Centre, Forestry Commission of Ghana , Kumasi , Ghana r School of Plant Science University of Tasmania , Hobart , Australia s Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles , Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso t Centre National des Semences Forestières , Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso u Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International , Washington , DC , USA v Deparment of Plant Biology , University of Yaounde I , Yaoundé , Cameroon w Géosciences Environnement Toulouse , Toulouse , France x Department of Geography , University College London , London , UK Accepted author version posted online: 03 Jan 2013.Published online: 20 Mar 2013. To cite this article: Mireia Torello-Raventos , Ted R. Feldpausch , Elmar Veenendaal , Franziska Schrodt , Gustavo Saiz , Tomas F. Domingues , Gloria Djagbletey , Andrew Ford , Jeanette Kemp , Beatriz S. Marimon , Ben Hur Marimon Junior , Eddie Lenza , James A. Ratter , Leandro Maracahipes , Denise Sasaki , Bonaventure Sonké , Louis Zapfack , Hermann Taedoumg , Daniel Villarroel , Michael Schwarz , Carlos A. Quesada , F. Yoko Ishida , Gabriela B. Nardoto , Kofi Affum-Baffoe , Luzmilla Arroyo , David M.J.S. Bowman , Halidou Compaore , Kalu Davies , Adama Diallo , Nikolaos M. Fyllas , Martin Gilpin , Fidèle Hien , Michelle Johnson , Timothy J. Killeen , Daniel Metcalfe , Heloisa S. Miranda , Mark Steininger , John Thomson , Karle Sykora , Eric Mougin , Pierre Hiernaux , Michael I. Bird , John Grace , Simon L. Lewis , Oliver L. Phillips & Jon Lloyd (2013) On the delineation of tropical vegetation types with an emphasis on forest/savanna transitions, Plant Ecology & Diversity, 6:1, 101-137, DOI: 10.1080/17550874.2012.762812 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2012.762812 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions Downloaded by [JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY] at 17:27 27 October 2013 Plant Ecology & Diversity, 2013 Vol. 6, Issue 1, 101–137, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2012.762812 On the delineation of tropical vegetation types with an emphasis on forest/savanna transitions Mireia Torello-Raventosa,b, Ted R. Feldpauschb , Elmar Veenendaalc , Franziska Schrodtb , Gustavo Saiza , Tomas F. Dominguesd , Gloria Djagbleteye , Andrew Fordf , Jeanette Kempg , Beatriz S. Marimonh , Ben Hur Marimon Juniorh , Eddie Lenzah , James A. Ratteri , Leandro Maracahipesh , Denise Sasakij , Bonaventure Sonkék , Louis Zapfackv , Hermann Taedoumgk , Daniel Villarroell , Michael Schwarzm , Carlos A. Quesadab,n,F.YokoIshidan , Gabriela B. Nardotoo,p, Kofi Affum-Baffoeq , Luzmilla Arroyol , David M.J.S. Bowmanr , Halidou Compaores , Kalu Daviesa , Adama Diallot , Nikolaos M. Fyllasb , Martin Gilpinb , Fidèle Hiens , Michelle Johnsonb , Timothy J. Killeenl,u, Daniel Metcalfef , Heloisa S. Mirandap , Mark Steiningeru , John Thomsona , Karle Sykorac , Eric Mouginw , Pierre Hiernauxw , Michael I. Birda , John Graced , Simon L. Lewisb,x, Oliver L. Phillipsb and Jon Lloyda,b* aSchool of Earth and Environmental Science, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia; bEarth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; cCentre for Ecosystem Studies, University of Wageningen, Wageningen, the Netherlands; dSchool of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; eForest Research Institute of Ghana, Kumasi, Ghana; fCSIRO Ecosystem Sciences Tropical Forest Research Centre, Atherton, Australia; gQueensland Herbarium, Townsville, Australia; hUniversidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Nova Xavantina, Brazil; iRoyal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, UK; jFundação Ecológica Cristalino, Alta Floresta, Brazil; kPlant Systematics and Ecology Lab, Department of Biology, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon; lMuseo Noel Kempff Mercado, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; mFieldwork Assistance, Jena, Germany; nInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil; oCentro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, São Paulo, Brazil; pUniversidade de Brasilia, District Federal, Brazil; qResource Management Support Centre, Forestry Commission of Ghana, Kumasi, Ghana; rSchool of Plant Science University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia; sInstitut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; tCentre National des Semences Forestières, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; uCenter for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International, Washington DC, USA; vDeparment of Plant Biology, University of Yaounde I, Yaoundé, Cameroon; wGéosciences Environnement Toulouse, Toulouse, France; xDepartment of Geography, University College London, London, UK (Received 9 November 2011; final version received 26 December 2012) Background: There is no generally agreed classification scheme for the many different vegetation formation types occurring in the tropics. This hinders cross-continental comparisons and causes confusion as words such as ‘forest’ and ‘savanna’ have different meanings to different people. Tropical vegetation formations are therefore usually imprecisely and/or ambiguously defined in modelling, remote sensing and ecological studies. Aims: To integrate observed variations in tropical vegetation structure and floristic composition into a single classification scheme. Methods: Using structural and floristic measurements made on three continents, discrete tropical vegetation groupings were defined on the basis of overstorey and understorey structure and species compositions by using clustering techniques. Results: Twelve structural groupings were identified based on height and canopy cover of the dominant upper stratum and the extent of lower-strata woody shrub cover and grass cover. Structural classifications did not, however, always agree with those based on floristic composition, especially for plots located in the forest–savanna transition zone. This duality is incorporated into a new
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