journal article
LitStream Collection
Biological equilibrium in ecosystems 3. Classification of ecosystems
1976 Folia Geobotanica
doi: 10.1007/bf02853181pmid: N/A
The Theory of Biological Equilibrium (TBE) is applied to the classification of ecosystems. It is shown that one of the basic factors, the habitat-type, governs the distribution of species through the subfactors climate and substrate in accordance with the Theory of Tolerance. Groups of species can be distinguished which show a very similar distribution, and combinations of species in these groups form the kengroups of classification units, or associations. Because the habitat-type of associations is often fragmented, the classification procedures can be applied to explaint the natural extinction of species, as well as the probability of species extinction through man's actions upon biocenoses.