OF THE CO^nCUNITir 



The characteristics of a community may be conveniently classi- 

 fied into two main groups, analytic and synthetic. The analytic 

 group, to be discussed in this chapter, includes qualitative charac- 

 teristics, which are usually described because of the greater diffi- 

 culty in measuring them, and quantitative ones, which can be 

 readily measured. These characteristics are as follows: 



(1) Qualitative 



(a) Kinds of species in the community (floristic com- 



position) 



(b) Stratification (of organisms, or their parts, above or 



below ground) 



(c) Periodicity (phenology, aspection) 



(d) Vitality (vigor) 



(e) Life-form (vegetation-, habitat-, and growth-form) 

 (/) Sociability (gregariousness) 



{g) Association of species (interspecific association) 



77 



