Habitat preferences of plant communities: New approach based on the GGE biplot analysis

摘要

In this paper we introduce a new way of analysing habitat preferences of plant communities using the genotype and genotype-by-environment interaction effects (GGE) biplot method. We took into consideration real data on six plant associations belonging to the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class. A total of 241 phytosociological releves collected with the Braun-Blanquet method were described by the Ellenberg indicators. The two-way classification releves-by-indicators was analysed with GGE. As a result it is proposed the modified biplot that contains ellipses for making the plot clearer. Next, we present the equations that described both axes and allow adding into the biplot any other releves or a mean of set of releves. Based on the generated biplot it is possible to present an ecological characteristics of any type of plant community including its acceptable and typical habitat requirements. The ellipse ranges provide important information about the homogeneity and ecological spectrum of the analysed syntaxon. The constructed equations allow comparing new data with data analysed previously. Summing up, the GGE biplot method is useful for analysing and graphically presenting ecological preferences of plant communities in a simple and comprehensive way.