Abstract
THE accurate description of horizontal patterns of distribution and the determination of the mechanisms resulting in these patterns1,2 are primary objectives of plant ecology. Although there have been many studies of horizontal patterns, most investigations have not proceeded beyond the initial stage of detection and analysis of pattern, leaving suggestions of causation untested. Controlled field experiments that test mechanisms which may regulate distributions are rare3. We have designed a controlled field experiment to evaluate the effects of intra- and interspecific interactions affecting two distinct horizontal patterns, thereby providing a test of current plant distribution theory.
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FONTEYN, P., MAHALL, B. Competition among desert perennials. Nature 275, 544–545 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/275544a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/275544a0
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