Plant community

A plant community is a collection or association of plant species within a designated geographical unit, which forms a relatively uniform patch, distinguishable from neighboring patches of different vegetation types. The components of each plant community are influenced by soil type, topography, climate and disturbances. In many cases there are several soil types present within a given plant community. This is because the soil type within an area is influenced by two factors, the rate at which water infiltrates or exits (via evapotranspiration) the soil, as well as the rate at which organic matter (any carbon-based compound within the environment, such as decaying plant matter) enters or decays from the soil. Plant communities are studied substantially by ecologists, due to providing information on the effects of dispersal, tolerance to environmental conditions, and response to disturbance of a variety of plant species, information valuable to the comprehension of various plant community dynamics.

Plant communities having a stable composition after a relatively long period free of disturbance represent the potential natural vegetation, or “climax” plant community and are often called "Plant Associations." A Plant Association can be conceptual, and gives an indication of the direction of succession. In the United States, the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) reviews and approves a National Vegetation Classification Standard. Standards were developed by the Ecological Society of America’s Vegetation Classification Panel.

The USDA Forest Service collects field data, performs spatial statistics, and maps potential plant associations to assist in planting and restoration efforts. The US Bureau of Land Management also establishes plant communities using "Ecological Sites," which are roughly equivalent to plant associations.