Outline Activities:

• Mantel randomization tests to examine the significance of decay.
   
• Organize plots based on upcoming classification and measure decay rates for each
  community type. A quantitative measure of community decay allows us to go beyond
  the Whittaker diagrams and compare decay rates across community types. 
   
• Identify data source (if any) to define dispersal rates for species. USDA
  provides some data on dispersal, but not complete. Includes characteristics such as seed
  per pound, seed spread rate (moderate, rapid, slow), vegetative spread rate. It would be
  interesting to compare distance decay rates for species classified according to migration
  distance. 
   
  Other ideas:

              Measure and compare distance decay at different scales.

                Look at similarity of same community types in different locations in mountains (ex. red oak forests of GSMNP vs. Linville). 
                Results could also be used to help determine how many plots are necessary to fully  characterize a mountain range (ATBI inventory).
    

                To conduct neutral model comparisons:

                     Need to determine dispersal parameters to quantify dispersal rate for community. 
 
                     How scale model to allow community level comparison? 

                    To test data against the neutral model we could use a subset of longleaf plots since minimal topographic variation. 

                    Select plots that cover the largest extent within same latitudinal range to control for environmental variation.