The researchers compared different models to see which one best fits the patterns of plant species abundance in sub-alpine meadows. They used data from three different habitats and found that the geometric-series model was the best fit for all three habitats. The Sugihara fraction model also worked well in some cases. The fitness of other models depended on the habitat type and the testing method used. This shows that there isn't just one model that can explain how plant communities are put together.