The problem of continuum versus discreteness in current ecology
Bashkire State University id. Frunze 32, Ufa 450074
e-mail: geobot@bashnet.ru
The problem of continuality versus discreteness of vegetation cover ("biocoenotic cover" - more generally) was the object of heated debates for at least hundred years. The ideas of continuality have been spread in the USSR in the 1970-80s but later the adherents of other approach, which focused on the discreteness of vegetation, became more active. The author discussed the views of one of them, A.I. Kafanov (2005), published recently in "Zhurnal Obshchei Biologii". It is claimed that pluralistic approach that is characteristic for present ecology makes unnecessary the search for universal law of relationship between continuum and discreteness of biocoenotic cover. This relationship depends on the particular character of biocoenotic cover and the scale of study.
