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Do exist some layer of vegetation complexity? 

Terrestrial ecosystem
Ecosystem
Biodiversity
Understory
Microstate (statistical mechanics)
Best insight from top research papers

Vegetation complexity exists in various layers, influenced by factors like overstory basal area, precipitation, temperature, and light availability. The understory layer's structural complexity is directly impacted by climatic parameters, with precipitation during the driest month playing a significant role . Vegetation, as a complex system, operates through interconnected subsystems with feedback loops, showcasing self-organization and non-linear processes. Dynamical models are used to describe vegetation, accounting for selection, competition, and positive interactions within the system . Recent studies highlight the importance of vegetation structural complexity (VSC) in ecosystem functioning, with VSC positively associated with microclimate regulation, productivity, faunal diversity, and habitat provisioning. Active remote sensing technologies have enabled the measurement of VSC, revealing a positive relationship between phytodiversity and structural complexity, suggesting that diverse plant communities tend to exhibit higher structural complexity .

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Papers (5)Insight
Journal Article•DOI
Unravelling the relationship between plant diversity and vegetation structural complexity: A review and theoretical framework
Tyler C. Coverdale, Andrew B. Davies 
20 Jan 2023-Journal of Ecology
2 Citations
Yes, vegetation structural complexity (VSC) exists, defined as the three-dimensional distribution of plants within an ecosystem, with diverse plant communities generally exhibiting higher structural complexity levels.
Journal Article•DOI
Some notes on complexity in vegetation.
Sandro Pignatti
01 Feb 1996-Journal of Vegetation Science
9 Citations
Yes, vegetation complexity consists of interconnected subsystems with non-linear processes, feedback loops, and self-organization, making it challenging to characterize mathematically due to unpredictability and non-linearity.
Open access•Journal Article•DOI
Quantifying Understory Complexity in Unmanaged Forests Using TLS and Identifying Some of Its Major Drivers
Dominik Seidel, Peter Annighöfer, Christian Ammer, Martin Ehbrecht, Katharina Willim, Jan R. Bannister, Daniel P. Soto 
14 Apr 2021-Remote Sensing
8 Citations
Yes, the research quantifies understory complexity in unmanaged forests using TLS, finding it influenced by overstory basal area, precipitation, temperature, and light availability.
Open access
Some notes on complexity in vegetation
Pignatti, Sandro 
01 Jan 2016
Yes, vegetation complexity involves interconnected subsystems, feedback loops, and non-linear processes, making it challenging to characterize mathematically. The system can be described using dynamical models due to its unpredictability.
Posted Content•DOI
Towards a representation of complex ecosystems in the ORCHIDEE Land Surface Model
Jérôme Ogée, Sebastiaan Luyssaert, Anne Sofie Lansø 
15 May 2023
Yes, the study introduces a multi-layer energy budget to represent complex ecosystems like mixed forests, enhancing the understanding of intra-canopy processes and interactions within vegetation layers.

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