The meaning and measurement of size hierarchies in plant populations

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

SN - 0029-8519

VL - 61

SP - 334

EP - 336

JO - Oecologia

JF - Oecologia

IS - 3

ER -