The patterns, or ''factor plots'', displayed in principal component analysis represent groupings of species based on the similarity or dissimilarity of their distribution. These groupings may represent various environments and can be integrated with other geologic data to determine or evaluate specific paleoenvironmental zones or settings. | The patterns, or ''factor plots'', displayed in principal component analysis represent groupings of species based on the similarity or dissimilarity of their distribution. These groupings may represent various environments and can be integrated with other geologic data to determine or evaluate specific paleoenvironmental zones or settings. |