This presentation discusses ecotones, which are transition areas between two ecosystems. An ecotone contains characteristics of both ecosystems and often has a high diversity of species. Examples of ecotones given include marshlands, estuaries, and mangrove forests. Ecotones are important because they support many species and act as a buffer between ecosystems. They can form naturally at boundaries of habitats or through human interaction.
 An ecotoneis an area that acts as a boundary or a
transition between two ecosystems.
 A common example could be an area of marshland
between a river and its riverbank.
 Ecotones are of great environmental importance.
Because the area is a transition between two
ecosystems or biomes, it is natural that it contains a
large variety of species of fauna and flora as the area
is influenced by both the bordering ecosystems.
INTRODUCTION
3.
 Example-the mangroveforests represent an ecotone between
marine and terrestrial ecosystem.
 Other examples are grassland (between forest and
desert), estuary (between fresh water and salt water)
and riverbank or marshland (between dry and wet).
4.
* An ecotonalarea often has a higher density of organisms of one species
and a greater number of species than are found in either
flanking community. Some organisms need a transitional area for activities
such as courtship, nesting, or foraging for food.
5.
 It maybe narrow (between grassland and forest) or
wide (between forest and desert).
 It has conditions intermediate to the adjacent
ecosystems. Hence it is a zone of tension.
 Usually, the number and the population density of
the species of an outgoing community decreases as
we move away from the community or ecosystem.
 A well-developed ecotone contains some organisms
which are entirely different from that of the
adjoining communities.
CHARACTERISTICS
OF ECOTONE
6.
• It hassome of the characteristics of each
bordering biological community and often contains
species not found in the overlapping communities.
• The influence of the two bordering communities on
each other is known as the edge effect.
7.
 Edge effectrefers to the changes in population or
community structures that occur at the boundary of two
habitats (ecotone).
 Sometimes the number of species and the population
density of some of the species in the ecotone is much
greater than either community. This is called edge effect.
 The organisms which occur primarily or most
abundantly in this zone are known as edge species.
 In the terrestrial ecosystems edge effect is especially
applicable to birds.
 For example, the density of birds is greater in the
ecotone between the forest and the desert.
EDGE EFFECT-
EDGE SPECIES
 An Ecotonecan basically be formed in two ways:-
1.) Natural Ecotones- can be formed through abiotic factors
such as changes in soil composition. Ecotones are very
common on mountain ranges due to a wide variety of
climatic conditions observed on the slopes of mountains.
2.)Human interaction Ecotones -can also be formed as a
result of human interaction. For example, the transition
between areas of forest and cleared land.
FORMATION OF
ECOTONES
 The Ecotonehas the characteristics of the two bordering ecosystem. As a
result, it has a very high density of organisms and variety of species can
be found in an ecotone.
 They act as a bridge for gene-flow from one community to other and
provide habitat to a large number of species.
 Due to these characteristics, ecotones have a very rich and vibrant
biodiversity. Therefore, ecotones are areas of a great environmental
importance.
 An Ecotone can act as a buffer-zone protecting the neighbouring
ecosystem from possible environmental damage. For example,
Mangrove forests provide a natural buffer against Tsunamis and a
wetland could absorb pollutants to prevent them from entering into an
estuary.
 Ecotones are very ecologically sensitive areas. They are natural
indicators of climate change and its consequences. Thereby, they have
been a matter of greater scientific interests.
IMPORTANCE OF
ECOTONES
12.
 COLLEGE BOTANY-VOLUME3
 SCIENCE DIRECT
 BIOLOGY DISCUSSION
 NEOSTENCIL
 CLIMATE RESEARCH
REFERENCES