VEGETATIONAL ANALYSIS 



73 



TABLE 5. A summary of sociological concepts that permits presentation 

 of the important data for a community in a single tabulation. The quantita- 

 tive data (1) are derived from quadrats; the analytic data (A) from the study 

 of some one community; the synthetic data (B) from the study of several 

 different examples (stands) of the same community.— After Cain.* 2 



ficient data have accumulated to permit accurate statements of fi- 

 delity for species of most communities. Under such conditions, it 

 seems advisable to use Constance, an absolute value determined 

 within the community in question, as a means of fixing upon the 

 sociologically important species. Some ecologists consider con- 

 stance of greater significance than fidelity for this purpose. It 

 should be noted that characteristic species are more responsive to 

 habitat variations and are consequently of greater indicator sig- 

 nificance than are, in general, the species of high Constance. It 



