Vegetation Classification and Survey (VCS): Editors’ Choice of the second quarter of 2023

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The post provided by Jürgen Dengler (on behalf of all VCS Chief Editors)

Example of an illustration of one “geocomplex biome” (Montane evergreen and seasonal Andean forest geocomplex) from the Editors’ Choice article by Navarro et al. 2023.

Among these, the Chief Editors selected the contribution by Navarro et al (2023) as the Editors’ Choice article. This “Review and Synthesis” article is part of the ongoing Special Collection “Neotropical Vegetation” (see https://vegsciblog.org/2022/01/19/vcs-special-collection-on-neotropical-vegetation/). The authors provide a synthetic overview of the terrestrial vegetation of South America. They use the concept of “geocomplex biomes” of which they distinguish 33 on the continent. These are grouped into 16 “macrobiomes” within the four macroclimates “tropical”, “mediterranean”, “temperate” and “boreal”. Each of the “geocomplex biomes” is visualised by one or several drawings that illustrate typical sequences of vegetation types along landscape gradients (catenas). These figures provide the reader with a realistic picture how landscapes look like and what the driving forces are. The descriptions of the “geocomplex biomes” are very dense in information, based on extensive field studies of the authors throughout the continent and a comprehensive literature review. This contribution is prototypic for what we envisage under “Review and Synthesis” articles. They are like textbooks or textbook chapters, as authoritative as these, but more concise. Compared to normal research articles, they can be longer, as in this case (40 pp.). We hope that this contribution will contribute to a better understanding of the diverse vegetation of South America and at the same time inspire other author teams to consider VCS as outlet for comparable synthetic treatments.

Volume 4, 2nd quarter

  • Dengler, J. & Willner, W. 2023. Proposal (31) to conserve the name Brachypodietalia pinnati Korneck 1974 as a nomen conservandum with a conserved type. Vegetation Classification and Survey 4: 63–68. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS.100985.
  • Janssen, J., Houtepen, E., von Proosdij, A. & Hennekens, S. 2023. CACTUS – Vegetation database of the Dutch Caribbean Islands. Vegetation Classification and Survey 4: 69–74. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS.101114.
  • Navarro, G., Luebert, F. & Molina, J.A. 2023. South American terrestrial biomes as geocomplexes: a geobotanical landscape approach. Vegetation Classification and Survey 4: 75–114. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS.96710.