Ecological Dominance 



Some plant communities are named for the tree or shrub 

 species which are dominant in them. The term dominant refers 

 to one or more plant species which may be the largest or most 

 abundant plants in a community, or those which account for 

 the greatest coverage in the community. Because of the foliage 

 cover or the extent of their root systems, dominants have a 

 strong influence on the local ecology of the community of which 

 they are members. Perhaps the most straightforward and familiar 

 example of the idea of dominance is that which exists in the 

 Redwood Forest, which is recognized by Munz and Keck as a 

 distinct community although I have included it in the North 

 Coastal Forest plant community. This plant association is named 

 after its sole dominant, Coast Redwood {Sequoia sempervirens). 

 Because of the large size of these trees and the influence that 

 they have on the moisture and shading relationships under them. 



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