Fidelity - Synthetic Characters

Fidelity refers to the degree to which a species is restricted in its occurrence to a particular kind of community. The species with low fidelity occur in a number of different communities, and species with high fidelity are restricted to few or only one community. The following five fidelity classes can be recognised:

A)  Characteristic species (Character, faithful species)

1. Fidelity 5 - Exclusive, completely or almost completely restricted to one kind of community
2. Fidelity 4 - Selective, occurring most frequently in one kind of community, but also, though rarely, in other kinds
3. Fidelity 3 - Preferential, occurring more or less abundantly in several kinds of communities but with optimum conditions for abundance and vitality in one kind of community

B)  Companion Species

1. Fidelity 2 - Indifferent, occurring without pronounced affinity or preference for any particular kind of community

C) Accidental Species

1. Fidelity 1 - Strange, rare and accidental intruders from another community or relicts from an earlier stage of succession.