A Statistical Study of Plant Distribution During the Colonization and Early Development of Vegetation on China Clay Residues

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Abstract
A brief review of the recent literature on the distribution of individuals of a given species suggests that data collected under relatively simple habitat conditions would be of interest. Distributions of individual plants colonizing on china clay residues were plotted. Results are given for a number of plants, and the agreement with Poisson, Neyman and Thomas series examined. Some plants are randomly distributed, others show aggregation. Neyman''s and Thomas'' series show close agreement since they are based on the same premises. Since the parameters of the latter are more readily interpreted in terms of plant distribution, it would seem the more useful series. The agreement between actual plant clusters, estimated in an arbi-tary manner, and those determined from the Thomas parameters is satisfactory for the particular quadrat sizes used. In all cases the quadrat size was adequate to contain a complete cluster. The development of vegetation takes place by spread of "islands" of rush and grass. At this stage the distribution becomes highly contagious, the "islands" forming a series of separate but similar communities.