Association (plant sociology)

According to Josias Braun-Blanquet, an association refers to a grouping unit in the floristic relationship of the plant communities ( syn systematics ) . This is made up of several associations with common character types. If several associations in turn have common types of character, they together form the next higher grouping unit, which is referred to as order . In syntaxonomy (the taxonomy used in plant sociology ) the name of an association consists of scientific generic names with the suffix "-ion", the specific epithet of the named species can be appended in the genitive form, e.g. B. Cynosurion (crested willow) or Cynosurion cristati.

If one were to use the taxonomic classification of plants in the context of biological systematics as a comparison, the associations would essentially correspond to the species and the associations to the superordinate genera .

literature

• Otti Wilmanns : Ecological Plant Sociology. An introduction to the vegetation of Central Europe. UTB, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-825-20269-0 .

Web link

• Names and systematics (snytaxonomy and synsystematics) at FloraWeb - data and information on wild plants and vegetation in Germany. published by the BfN Federal Agency for Nature Conservation.