Plant ecology is a subdiscipline of ecology which studies the distribution
and abundance of plants, the effects of environmental factors upon the abundance of plants, and the interactions among and between plants and other organisms. A global overview of the Earth's major vegetation types is provided by O.W. Archibold. He recognizes 11 major vegetation types: tropical forests, tropical savannas, arid regions (deserts), Mediterranean ecosystems, temperate forest ecosystems, temperate grasslands, coniferous forests, tundra (both polar and high mountain) terrestrial wetlands, freshwater ecosystems and coastal/marine systems. Ecology have an organizational level of biological components, one of which is the community (Keddy, 2007) A plant community (sometimes "phytocoenosis" or "phytocenosis") is a collection or association of plant species within a designated geographical unit, which forms a relatively uniform patch, distinguishable from neighboring patches of different vegetation types. The components of each plant community are influenced by soil type, topography, climate and human disturbance. In many cases there are several soil types within a given phytocoenosis. A plant community can be rare even if none of the major species defining it are rare. This is because it is the association of species and relationship to their environment that may be rare. (Robert, 2003) Vegetation is an assemblage of plant species and the ground cover they provide. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader than the term flora which refers to species composition. Perhaps the closest synonym is plant community, but vegetation can, and often does, refer to a wider range of spatial scales than that term does, including scales as large as the global. Primeval redwood forests, coastal mangrovestands, sphagnum bogs, desert soil crusts, roadside weed patches, wheat fields, cultivated gardens and lawns; all are encompassed by the term vegetation. (Burrows, 1990) Vegetation analysis is a way of making the composition and composition of vegetation (structure) of vegetation from growing communities. Structured elements of vegetation are forms of growth, stratification and canopy closure. For the purposes of vegetation analysis, data - data type diameter and height are needed to determine the index of important values of the forest community constituents. With vegetation analysis quantitative information can be obtained about the structure and composition of a plant community (Syafei, 1990). Area is part of the surface of the earth, area, geographical area used for special purposes: this forest will be opened for agriculture; Environmental geographical area that has the same language typology characteristics, such as pronunciation, lexical, or grammatical features. The minimum area or species area curve is the first step used to analyze a vegetation that uses sample plots (squares). The minimum area is used to obtain sample plot area (sampling area) that is considered representative of a type of vegetation in a particular habitat being studied. The sample plot area has a close relationship with the diversity of species found in the area. The higher the diversity of species found in the area, the more extensive sample plots are used (Michael, 1995). Minimal area is the smallest area that can contain the species representative of a particular plant community. When the number of species recorded in increasingly larger sample units is plotted graphically (to give a species-area curve), the minimal area is the point at which the curve becomes horizontal. In practice, the curve rarely becomes truly horizontal because of natural heterogeneity, and some subjective assessment of the minimal area is made, based on the species-area curve. Alternatively, the ‘minimum quadrat number’ may be defined as the ‘equivalence point’, i.e. the point at which the number of species and the number of quadrats are equal. (Heddy, 1996) Five methods for determining the minimum area include; Interpretation of area species curves, Pretation inter regional frequency curves, Species returning presentations, Similarity analysis, and Patterns of representation. Interpretation of species area curves is the original method and is still often recommended. This method is a rare species to reach saturation. The frequency of the curve area has been taken as the basis for determining the minimum area. This curve is used to detect minimal separate areas for different regions (Syafei, 1990). Every plant species requires suitable environmental conditions for life, so the living conditions of each species are different, where they only occupy the parts that are suitable for their lives. Every plant is the result of the conditions in which plants live, so plants can be used as environmental indicators. The composition of a community is determined by the selection of plants that reach climax and are able to live in that place. The activities of community members depend on each individual's adjustment to physical and biotic factors in the place. Thus in a community, controlling the presence of species can be in the form of one or several specific species or can also be the physical nature of the habitat. But there is no clear boundary between the two, because both can operate together or influence each other. Plants that live naturally in a place, form a collection in which each individual finds an environment that can meet his life needs. In this collection there is also harmony in living together (association), and mutual relations (interactions) that are mutually beneficial, so that a degree of integration is formed (Djufri, 2012).
DAPUS:
Burrows, Colin J. (1990). Processes of vegetation change. London: Unwin Hyman.
Djufri. 2012. Penentuan Pola Distribusi, Asosiasi dan Interaksi Jenis Tumbuhan Khususnya Padang Rumput di Taman Nasional Baluran Banyuwangi Jawa Timur. Tesis. Yogyakarta : Universitas Gadjah Mada. Vol 4, Nomor 2, hal 104-111. Heddy, S dan Kurniati M. 1996. Prinsip – prinsip dasar ekologi. Jakarta : Raja Grafindo Persada Keddy, Paul A. (2007). Plants and Vegetation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Michael, P. 1995. Metode Ekologi Untuk Penyelidikan Ladang dan Laboratorium. Jakarta : UI Press Robert Ornduff, Phyllis M. Faber, Todd Keeler-Wolf. (2003). Introduction to California Plant Life, California Natural History Guides No. 69, University of California Press, Ltd. Syafei, E. 1990. Pengantar Ekologi Tumbuhan. ITB Press : Bandung. III. IMPLEMENTATION OF PRACTICUM
3.1. Time and place
The Minimum Area Practicum was conducted on Thursday, March 14th , 2019 at the Teaching IV Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Andalas University, Padang. 3.2. Tools and materials The tools and materials used in this practicum are stakes, ropes, scissors, tape measure and stationery. 3.3. Ways of working First, a plot of 25 cm x 25 cm is made. Observed and recorded the species of plants that found in this plot. Then calculate the percentage increase in plant species. If the results obtained are >10%, then make a plot that is two time larger than before, like 25 cm x 25 cm, 50 cm x 50 cm, so on until the results obtained are <10%.
Forest Fragmentation and Landscape Connectivity Change Associated With Road Network Extension and City Expansion A Case Study in The Lancang River Valley