The relevance of ecology to species concepts in bryophytes.

Relationships between the ecological niche and species concepts are discussed by developing concepts of the niche and of character and species hypervolumes. Ecological data are best used to evaluate the biological/evolutionary significance of species defined by other criteria. Differences in patterns of ecological variation are as important for delineating species as are differences in the average or typical habitat. A classification of nine gemmiferous Pohlia species summarizes more ecological than morphological information, although the classification was based on morphology. Combining P. annotina and P. camptotrachela results in a loss of ecological information. -from Author

Duke Scholars

Author A. Jonathan Shaw Biology