Aquatic ecology and Biodiversity

Unit 4- Community ecology

4.1.6. Ectone and edge effect
Ecotone is the intermediate zone lying between two adjacent communities. Eg. An estuary is an ecotone lying between river and sea.


Characteristics of ecotone
• The ecotone prevails environmental conditions intermediate to both two adjacent communities
• The ecotone offers an abundance of food and shelter
• It contain organisms of both community
• As a rule ecotone contains more species often denser population than either of the neighbouring communities. This is called edge effect
• The ecotone contain certain species which are completely restricted to this region and they are called edge species
• The ecotone may be as broad as 100 km. or as narrow as 1 .0 km.