Wilson, Mark V. 1985. Computers in phytosociology. In: Glaeser, P. S., ed. The role of data in scientific progress. North-Holland: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.: 87-90.
The use of computers in phytosociology has been stimulated in the United States by
several historical developments: the application of multivariate analyses, the
International Biological Program, phytosociological data processing packages, and
large-scale and long-term ecological studies.
The advantages of computer use in phytosociology--speed, flexibility and the ability
to store and retrieve data--are often balanced by drawbacks or difficulties. These
include the limitations of computer packages, the mystique of computer-generated
results and the use of diverse field methods.
The Oregon State University Forest Science Data Bank is discussed as a new but impor-
tant ecological data storage and exchange system in the United States.