Summary
Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) is an improvement upon the reciprocal averaging (RA) ordination technique. RA has two main faults: the second axis is often an ‘arch’ or ‘horseshoe’ distortion of the first axis, and distances in the ordination space do not have a consistent meaning in terms of compositional change (in particular, distances at the ends of the first RA axis are compressed relative to the middle). DCA corrects these two faults. Tests with simulated and field data show DCA superior to RA and to nonmetric multidimensional sealing in giving clear, interpretable results. DCA has several advantages. (a) Its performance is the best of the ordination techniques tested, and both species and sample ordinations are produced simultaneously. (b) The axes are scaled in standard deviation units with a definite meaning, (c) As implemented in a FORTRAN program called DECORANA, computing time rises only linearly with the amount of data analyzed, and only positive entries in the data matrix are stored in memory, so very large data sets present no difficulty. However, DCA has limitations, making it best to remove extreme outliers and discontinuities prior to analysis. DCA consistently gives the most interpretable ordination results, but as always the interpretation of results remains a matter of ecological insight and is improved by field experience and by integration of supplementary environmental data for the vegetation sample sites.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Austin, M.P. 1976a. On non-linear species response models in ordination. Vegetatio 33: 33–41.
Austin, M.P. 1976b. Performance of four ordination techniques assuming three different non-linear species response models. Vegetatio 33: 43–49.
Austin, M.P. & I., Noy-Meir. 1972. The problem of non-linearity in ordination: experiments with two-gradient models. J. Ecol. 59: 763–773.
Beals, E.W. 1973. Ordination: mathematical elegance and ecological naïveté. J. Ecol. 61: 23–35.
Benzécri, J.P. 1973. L'Analyse des données (vol. 2: L'analyse des Correspondances). Dunod, Paris, 619 pp.
Curtis, J.T. 1959. The Vegetation of Wisconsin: An Ordination of Plant Communities. Chiversity of Wisconsin, Madison, 657 pp.
Dale, M.B. 1975. On objectives of ordination. Vegetatio 30: 15–32.
Ellenberg, H. 1956. Aufgaben und Methoden der Vegetationskunde. Ulmer, Stuttgart, 136 pp.
Fasham, M.J.R. 1977. A comparison of nonmetric multidimensional scaling, principal components and reciprocal averaging for the ordination of simulated coenoclines, and coenoplanes. Ecology 58: 551–561.
Gauch, H.G. 1973. The relationship between sample similarity and ecological distance. Ecology 54: 618–622.
Gauch, H.G. 1977. ORDIFLEX — A flexible computer program for four ordination techniques: weighted averages, polar ordination, principal components analysis, and reciprocal averaging. Release B. Ecology and Systematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, 185 pp.
Gauch, H.G. 1980. Rapid initial clustering of large data sets. In: E. van der Maarel (ed.) Advances in vegetation science: Classification and ordination. Vegetatio 42: 103–111.
Gauch, H.G. & W.M., Scruggs. 1980. Variants of Bray-Curtis polar ordination. Vegetatio 40: 147–153.
Gauch, H.G. & R.H., Whittaker. 1972. Comparison of ordination techniques. Ecology 53: 868–875.
Gauch, H.G., G.B., Chase & R.H., Whittaker. 1974. Ordination of vegetation samples by Gaussian species distributions. Ecology 55: 1382–1390.
Gauch, H.G., R.H. Whittaker & S.B. Singer. 1979. Acomparative study of nonmetric ordinations. J. Ecol. (in press).
Gauch, H.G., R.H., Whittaker & T.R., Wentworth. 1977. A comparative study of reciprocal averaging and other ordination techniques. J. Ecol. 65: 157–174.
Hill, M.O. 1973. Reciprocal averaging: an eigenvector method of ordination. J. Ecol. 61: 237–249.
Hill, M.O. 1974. Correspondence analysis: a neglected multivariate method. J. Roy. Stat. Soc., Ser. C 23: 340–354.
Hill, M.O. 1979. DECORANA—A FORTRAN program for detrended correspondence analysis and reciprocal averaging. Ecology and Systematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, 52 pp.
Ihm, P. & H.van, Groenewoud. 1975. A multivariate ordering of vegetation data based on Gaussian type gradient response curves. J. Ecol. 63: 767–777.
Kendall, D.G. 1971. Seriation from abundance matrices. In: F.R. Hodson, D.G. Kendall & P. Tautu (eds.). Mathematics in the archeological and historical sciences, p. 215–252. Edinburgh University Press.
Kessell, S.R. & R.H., Whittaker. 1976. Comparisons of three ordination techniques. Vegetatio 32: 21–29.
Maarel, E.van der. 1979. Transformation of cover-abundance values in phytosociology and its effects on community similarity. Vegetatio 39: 97–114.
Maarel, E.van der, J.G.M., Janssen & J.M.W., Louppen. 1978. TABORD, A program for structuring phytosociological tables. Vegetatio 38: 143–156.
Mueller-Dombois, D. & H., Ellenberg. 1974. Aims and methods of vegetation ecology. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 547 pp.
Noy-Meir, I. 1974. Catenation: quantitative methods for the definition of coenoclines. Vagetatio 29: 89–99.
Noy-Meir, I. & R.H., Whittaker, 1977. Continuous multivariate methods in community analysis: some problems and developments. Vegetatio 33: 79–98.
Noy-Meir, I. & R.H., Whittaker. 1978. Recent developments in continuous multivariate techniques. In: R.H., Whittaker (ed.). Ordination of plant communities, p. 337–378. Junk, The Hague.
Orlóci, L. 1978. Multivariate analysis in vegetation research. Junk, The Hague, 451 pp.
Prentice, I.C. 1977. Non-metric ordination methods in ecology. J. Ecol. 65: 85–94.
Sabo, S.R. 1979. Niche and habitat relations of birds in subalpine forests, New Hampshire, Ecology (in press).
Swan, J.M.A. 1970. An examination of some ordination problems by use of simulated vegetational data. Ecology 51: 89–102.
Whittaker, R.H. 1954. The ecology of serpentine soils. IV. The vegetational response to serpentine soils. Ecology 35: 275–288.
Whittaker, R.H. 1956. Vegetation of the Great Smoky Mountains. Ecol. Monogr. 26: 1–80.
Whittaker, R.H. 1960. Vegetation of the Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon and California. Ecol. Monogr. 30: 279–338.
Whittaker, R.H. & H.G., Gauch. 1978. Evaluation of ordination techniques. In: R.H., Whittaker (ed.). Ordination of plant communities, p. 277–336, Junk, The Hague.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Bangor, Wales, and by a grant from the National Science Foundation to R.H. Whittaker. We thank R.H. Whittaker for encouragement and comments, S.B. Singer for assistance with the Cornell computer, and H.J.B. Birks, S.R. Sabo, T.C.E. Wells, and R.H. Whittaker for data sets used for ordination tests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hill, M.O., Gauch, H.G. Detrended correspondence analysis: An improved ordination technique. Vegetatio 42, 47–58 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00048870
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00048870