Aquatic ecology and Biodiversity

Unit 4- Community ecology

4.1.5. Community dominance
A community has many species, of which one or few species play dominant role in the community by virtue of their number, size and activities such species are called ‘Community dominance’. The removal of community dominant from the community affects the community drastically. Species structure in most communities is either abundant or rare.
• Few spices that are abundant
• Large number species that are rare

The abundant species are called dominants. Eg. The mussel bed in the rocky shore –Mytilus sp