What is ecotone?
Ecotone is an area that works as the transitional boundary between the two ecosystems.
For example,
- Marshlands between the drylands and wet ecosystem.
- Mangrove Forests between the terrestrial and marine ecosystem.
- Estuaries between the saltwater and Freshwater.
- Grasslands between the desert and forest ecosystem
- The Himalayas between Indian and Tibetan ecosystem
Ecocline:
There is no sharp boundary between the two ecosystems, there are gradual but continuous environmental gradients comprised of abiotic factors such as temperature, slope, precipitation, water, soil, etc and subsequently biotic communities also changes. These environmental gradients are called ecocline.
Edge effects;
Edge effect means changes in population or species at the boundary of two habitats. There is rich biological diversity in the ecotone is called the edge effect and species living in the ecotone areas are also called edge species.
For example,
- The density of vegetation, microorganism, and bird species are very rich in marshy lands as compared to the drylands and wet ecosystems.
- Very rich animal and bird species in grassland areas.
Ecological Niche;
- A niche refers to the unique functional role and position of a species in its habitat or ecosystem.
- Niche is physical, chemical, and biological factors needed to survive.
- Knowledge about Ecological niches plays an important role in the conservation of organisms.
- In a habitat, no species can not have the same niche, if they do have then they will compete for the same resource, and ultimately one will extinct.
- For example, in the crops, Bee takes nectar from flowers, birds eat seeds, insect eats specific part of plants. Each has a separate niche.
Home Range:
Home range is an area where an animal lives and moves for daily needs.
For example,
- Catla fish is one type of surface feeder, hence the home range of Catla fish in the pond ecosystem will be only surface water.
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