The meaning and measurement of size hierarchies in plant populations
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The meaning and measurement of size hierarchies in plant populations. / Weiner, Jacob; Solbrig, Otto T.
In: Oecologia, Vol. 61, No. 3, 01.03.1984, p. 334-336.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The meaning and measurement of size hierarchies in plant populations
AU - Weiner, Jacob
AU - Solbrig, Otto T.
PY - 1984/3/1
Y1 - 1984/3/1
N2 - The term "size hierarchy" has been used frequently by plant population biologists but it has not been defined. Positive skewness of the size distribution, which has been used to evaluate size hierarchies, is inappropriate. We suggest that size hierarchy is equivalent to size inequality. Methods developed by economists to evaluate inequalities in wealth and income, the Lorenz curve and Gini Coefficient, provide a useful quantification of inequality and allow us to compare populations. A measure of inequality such as the Gini Coefficient will usually be more appropriate than a measure of skewness for addressing questions concerning plant population structure.
AB - The term "size hierarchy" has been used frequently by plant population biologists but it has not been defined. Positive skewness of the size distribution, which has been used to evaluate size hierarchies, is inappropriate. We suggest that size hierarchy is equivalent to size inequality. Methods developed by economists to evaluate inequalities in wealth and income, the Lorenz curve and Gini Coefficient, provide a useful quantification of inequality and allow us to compare populations. A measure of inequality such as the Gini Coefficient will usually be more appropriate than a measure of skewness for addressing questions concerning plant population structure.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0021549726&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/BF00379630
DO - 10.1007/BF00379630
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:0021549726
VL - 61
SP - 334
EP - 336
JO - Oecologia
JF - Oecologia
SN - 0029-8519
IS - 3
ER -
ID: 224653103