FQA: A method for floristic quality assessment based on conservatism of plant species

doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.201804.007

Abstract

Abstract: FQA, which uses the conservatism of plant species for particular habitats and the species richness of plant communities, is a rapid method for the assessment of habitat quality. This method is based on species composition of quadrats and coefficients of conservatism for species which assigned by experts. Floristic Quality Index (FQI) that reflects vegetation integrity and degradation of a site can be calculated by a simple formula and be used for space-time comparison of habitat quality. It has been widely used in more than ten countries including the United States and Canada. This paper presented the principle, calculation formulas and application cases of this method, with the aim to provide a simple, repeatable and comparable method to assess habitat quality for ecological managers and researchers.

Key words: floristic quality assessment, conservatism coefficient, habitat quality, floristic quality index.

CAO Li-juan, HE Ping, WANG Mi, XU Jie, REN Ying. FQA: A method for floristic quality assessment based on conservatism of plant species[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2018, 29(4): 1367-1372.

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