Understanding ecotone-dynamics help us understand how we are affecting them. Nowhere in nature has excessive human involvement been beneficial for life. Our interference has added another dimension to an already complicated condition in ecotones.
For example, these “induced edges” play a detrimental role in seed dispersal of the nearby vegetation species. This artificial ecotone is also a tension zone for the interior organisms. When a road is built through a forest, the path of the road represents a transition from the two forest ecosystems on either side. Our interference in interior ecosystems tend to create ecotones, in some cases. Why do you think great civilizations of the past were situated on floodplains?
These conditions are excellent for the development of agricultural land. It also has a ready water source in close proximity. Along the river-land ecotone, the land is extremely fertile. Edges also host advantageous conditions for humans. Humans have affected ecotones and edges in their quest to modify these zones for their benefit. These zones are harsh and sensitive even small changes in their characteristics can be potentially disastrous for the organisms living there. Their ability to support so many different organisms make them highly sensitive areas of biodiversity. High biodiversity and highly sensitive zonesĮcotones and edges are unique because of the conditions they host. This change in spatial and temporal habits of organisms makes the definition of an edge species quite difficult. Some other species are found in both edge as well as interior habitats.
Sea turtles are also unique organisms that come into beaches to lay eggs, and get back to their sea habitat when their young ones are ready. For example, there are some species of fishes that come from the sea to estuaries for spawning. Seasonal edge species are quite common in nature. There are some species that are “edge species” for only a short period of time. They are able to perform most of their daily activities along these edges. Amphibians are the classic edge species of floodplain ecotones. The new array of species living along edges are unique, and are called edge species. Similarly, the ecotones formed by seas and rivers (deltas or estuaries) have a greater number of fish species. For example, you will always find a greater number of bird species along the land-water ecotones. This phenomenon is called the edge effect. The greater number of landscape elements, vegetation complexity and mixed ecosystem characteristics result in greater density and biodiversity along the ecotones. Therefore, it makes for a completely different habitat! This zone can traverse long stretches along two ecosystems and is a place where characteristics of both ecosystems can be seen. This is a fundamental characteristic of landscapes that is often studied by landscape ecologists. When an ecosystem (or community) changes abruptly from one to another, that zone is called an ecotone. Understanding their dynamics is important if we are to manage them better in the future. These regions have faced great damage due to human activities. We’ll also see what these abrupt changes cause and how that is important for life in that region. In this post, I’ll take a look at the abrupt changes from one ecosystem to another. Because of this richness and the complex conditions of this zone, it is vital for the economy of that region. They are very, very rich in biodiversity. In nature ecosystems transition from one to another gradually or abruptly. These transition zones are extremely important from an ecological and economic point of view. Have you ever wondered why floodplains host such a variety of life? Why fishes tend to congregate in estuaries for spawning? Why humans have thrived for so long along floodplains?
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