How to classify tropical forests

What is it about?

Tropical forests have been classified in many different ways, making comparisons between different regions difficult. This chapter reviews the alternatives. Classifications of forests serve many different needs, so there can be no one best way of doing them. While it is usually impractical to have many different classifications of the same forests, there is a risk that a single “multipurpose” classification will impose categories that are inappropriate for the purposes for which they are being used. This is particularly obvious when a classification “dissects” a continuum, but can also occur if the resolution of the classification (i.e., the narrowness of the categories) is inappropriate – too fine or too broad – or if discontinuities in one feature, such as floristics, do not coincide with those in another, such as structure. A hierarchical classification that allows the user to choose the appropriate level of resolution is the best compromise but requires more work than a single, single-purpose classification.

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Why is it important?

Tropical forests are amazingly varied and complex, but we need to simplify this complexity in order to communicate. There are many possible ways of doing this and there is no, single, 'best' way, but this book chapter discusses the alternatives.

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