The researchers studied the spatial patterns of plant populations and communities in a mountain meadow in China. They used a new method to analyze the two-dimensional patterns, which showed clear characteristics of how plants are distributed. The main dominant plant species had regular patterns with large patches, while other species had smaller patches. The patterns of the main species were related to their interactions with the environment and their role in the community. The community pattern was closely linked to the patterns of the main species, which were distributed together and overlapped to form the overall community pattern.