In these transitional regions, the environment rapidly shifts from one type to another based on abiotic (e.g., climatic) and/or biotic (e.g., community structure) factors ( Holland et al., 1991 Kent et al., 1997). They often occur in areas of steep environmental transition, along environmental gradients.
Because ecotones are often small in spatial extent and within this small area they are relatively rich in biodiversity, with populations adapted to change, their conservation may be a cost effective strategy.Įcotones are areas where ecological communities, ecosystems, or biotic regions coincide. As populations in ecotones are potentially pre-adapted to changing environments, they may be more resistant to climate change, biotic invasions invasive species and other environmental changes. As such, ecotones deserve high conservation investment, potentially serving as speciation and biodiversity centers. Evidence suggests that ecotones may also be speciation hotspots where new forms evolve. Various studies have shown that species richness, diversity and abundances tend to peak in ecotonal areas, though exceptions to these patterns occur. They range from mountain treelines to transitions between large biomes and ecoregions (eg, Mediterranean and arid). Ecotones occur at multiple spatial scales and range from natural ecotones between ecosystems and biomes to human-generated boundaries. Kark, in Reference Module in Life Sciences, 2017 AbstractĮcotones are areas of steep transition between ecological communities, ecosystems, and/or ecological regions along an environmental or other gradient.