The use of ecological theory and autecological datasets in studies of endangered plant and animal species and communities

Abstract

Few, if any, European habitats have been unaffected by modern land-use and the problems of conserving the diversity of the European flora and fauna are both urgent and immense. This paper describes a simple method for analyzing floristic change that is hoped will prove useful for assessing the nature and severity of these threats. The method involves the use of ecological theory and the collection of simple autecological data. Examples are given to illustrate how this approach can be used both to identify reasons for floristic change and to provide functional analyses of phytosociological data. Also, as a result of analyses of reasons for commonness and rarity in butterflies and birds, it is argued that similar functional interpretations of zoological datasets may soon be possible.