- Natural Ecosystem-
Terrestrial- Forests, Grasslands, Deserts
Aquatic- Fresh Waters, Saline Waters, Marine Waters
Ecotone :- a zone of junction between two or more diverse ecosystems. For e.g. the mangrove forests represent an ecotone between marine and terrestrial ecosystem.
Characteristics of Ecotone
It may be very narrow or quite wide. It has the conditions intermediate to the adjacent ecosystems. Hence it is a zone of tension.
It is linear as it shows progressive increase in species composition of one in coming community and a simultaneous decrease in species of the other out going adjoining community.
A well developed ecotones contain some organisms which are entirely different from that of the adjoining communities.
Sometimes the number of species and the population density of some of the species is much greater in this zone than either community. This is called edge effect For example the density of birds is greater in the mixed habitat of the ecotone between the forest and the desert.