Causes of pattern in plant communities where environmental change is rapid and species longevity is short

Abstract

Questions: To what extent can spatial structure and its causes be determined in a highly disturbed environment? What are the main determinants of pattern and are these species-specific? How much do spatial patterns change over generations? Location: Wimmera region of southern Australia. Methods: Broad-leaved weeds were counted in 225 000 contiguous 20-cm square quadrats. A substantial number of these quadrats were recorded again after two and four years. An hierarchical 'adaptive analysis' approach was used to select spatial analytical methods to examine specific aspects of pattern and variation in pattern from year to year. Results: Patterns varied among species and included both dense and ..