Vegetation classification in the Neotropics – Novel insights from Latin America and the Caribbean

By

Peyre, Gwendolyn
Andrade, Bianca O.
Velázquez, Alejandro
Giorgis, Melisa A.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024-10-21

Original Publication

Vegetation classification and survey

Volume

5

Pages

219--223

Subjects

Andes , Argentina , Classification , database , Dutch Caribbean Islands , geocomplex , Mexico , Peru , vegetation formation

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers 2020-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS.133613

 

Abstract

Our editorial introduces a Special Collection of scientific articles on current vegetation research in the most biodiverse of all biogeographic realms, the Neotropics. It contains nine scientific contributions dedicated to vegetation data, description and classification. Four research papers provide new vegetation classifications of important Neotropical biomes, namely the Arid Chaco in Argentina, Mexican temperate forests, and Andean wetlands in the Argentine Puna and southern Peru. Furthermore, one study provides a novel bioclimatic-vegetation classification approach applied to Mexican vegetation, while another proposes a new synthesis of the South American terrestrial biomes as geocomplexes. Finally, three vegetation databases are presented in the Special Collection: ArgVeg – Database of Central Argentina (GIVD ID: SA-AR-002), CACTUS – Vegetation database of the Dutch Caribbean Islands (GIVD ID: SA-00-004) and VegAndes: the vegetation database for the Latin American highlands (GIVD ID: SA-00-005). The Special Collection provides fundamental data and tools to better understand the diversity and complexity of Neotropical vegetation.<br> Abbreviations: GIVD = Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases, IAVS = International Association for Vegetation Science, IAVS-LACS = IAVS Regional Section for the Latin America and the Caribbean, VCS = Vegetation Classification and Survey