ISSN: 1945-7553
CODEN: JTEVAB
Page Count: 5

A Hierarchical Approach to the Measurement of Changes in Community Structure Induced by Environmental Stress

Boyle, TP
research ecologist, Water Resources Laboratory, National Park Service, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Sebaugh, J
Mathematical statistician, Statistical Reporting Service, Columbia, MO

Robinson-Wilson, E
Ecologist Columbia National Fisheries Research Laboratory, Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbia, MO

Abstract

A new index of dissimilarity is proposed to measure changes in community structure caused by environmental stress. A new statistical algorithm was also devised to test the similarity or dissimilarity between two communities. This procedure tests the mean dissimilarity within two communities against the mean dissimilarity between the same communities. These new indices are used along with other traditional indices of community structure in a proposed hierarchical scheme for testing different degrees of changes in stressed communities. Several examples illustrate that the procedures proposed give a more interpretible comprehensive analysis than the use of a limited set of indices.

Keywords:
statistical tests, environmental tests, biological surveys, community dissimilarity, statistical test of dissimilarity, hierarchical community measurement scheme, stressed communities

Paper ID: JTE10719J
DOI: 10.1520/JTE10719J
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