The Hierarchy of Plants

Figure 7.30: Montana shurbland plant communities, like the alpine dwarf shrubland pictured here, typically contain shrubs less than 0.5m tall with individuals/clumps overlapping to not touching (generally forming greater than 25% cover; trees generally form less than 25% cover0, and includes vegetation dominated by woody vines. Image from URL: http://fieldguide.mt.gov/

Figure 7.30: Montana shrubland plant communities, like the alpine dwarf shrubland pictured here, typically contain shrubs less than 0.5m tall with individuals/clumps overlapping to not touching (generally forming greater than 25% cover; trees generally form less than 25% cover0, and includes vegetation dominated by woody vines.
Image from URL: http://fieldguide.mt.gov/

One plant of a given species is an individual. A group of individuals of the same species is a population. A group of populations of different species is a community.

A plant community is essentially the basic building block of animal habitat, providing critical resources for survival and reproduction. One type of plant community may include all of the requirements for a given animal species’ survival, while another community might only meet some of its requirements. Yet other plant communities would not serve as suitable habitat for that animal species at all.

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The MSP project is funded by an ESEA, Title II Part B Mathematics and Science Partnership Grant through the Montana Office of Public Instruction. MSP was developed by the Clark Fork Watershed Education Program and faculty from Montana Tech of The University of Montana and Montana State University, with support from other Montana University System Faculty.