[Modeling of the plant community: individual oriented approach. II. A model of a community]

The individual-based approach to modeling of the plant cover dynamics is discussed. This approach takes into account that the cover consists of individual interacting plants, i.e., is a community. According to the principle of "minimal angle of viewing", this approach can be considered as approaching the object earlier considered from the energy standpoint (Monsi and Saeki, 1953; Khil'rni, 1957). An element of the model of community, balance model of plant dynamics, was considered in part I of the article. The community model is 2-D, i.e., it considers the growth and dying of plants in relation to their mutual geometrical arrangement in the community. Mechanisms of division and re-division of the territory among the plants of community are important elements of the community model. These mechanisms use the Voronoi mosaic. Some results of the development and analysis of the model of community are considered, such as the possibility of non-monotonous competition in homogeneous communities and -3/2 rule considered as "one of the most general principles of plant population biology" (White, 1980). The 2-D individual-based approach to modeling can be an effective tool for analysis of the influence of many "microscopic" features of the community structure on its macroscopic behavior.