The distribution of blackberry (Rubus hirtus W. K.) in different scales: the fractal analysis

Gazda, Anna

doi:ISSN 1505-2249

$The distribution of blackberry (Rubus hirtus W. K.) in different scales: the fractal analysis$

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Title: The distribution of blackberry (Rubus hirtus W. K.) in different scales: the fractal analysis

Abstrakt:

The scale dependence of natural patterns provides an opportunity to apply fractal geometry to diverse problems in "spatial" ecology so as to integrate the spatial and temporal characteristics of complex environments. In this paper I attempt to explore the scaling dependency of in an autecological study on blackberry across a range of scales by applying fractal theory. The fractal dimension of: the blackberry (Rubus hirtus W. K.) distribution within its geographical range is 1.44 ± 0.02; the pattern in the Gorce National Park (5908 ha) is 1.47 ± 0.05; the pattern for Łopuszna Valley (49°34'N, 20°08'E) (185.86 ha) is 1.30 ± 0.09 and 1.32 ± 0.05 for the Ratanica watershed (49°51 'N, 20°02'E) ( 121.76 ha) (Fig. 1 ); the distribution of blackberry within the six plots located within the Ratanica watershed has values: 1.21 ± 0.09 to 1.45 ± 0.06. On the gap plot, located within Ratanica watershade, created in 1987, year the fractal dimension of blackberry distribution increased from 1.21 ± 0.16 to 1.60 ± 0.04 during 5 successive years (Fig. 2). In the same region, on plot located under the dense forest, D of blackberry distribution has not changed and reached value 1.28 ± 0.05. This study demonstrates that the distribution pattern is heavily influenced by scale. There are no possibilities to detect any breakpoint at scale intervals within the range of spatial scales studied, because the study of pattern was carried out on a noncontinuous scale (Fig. 4).

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