Community Ecology

Community ecology is a sub-discipline of ecology that studies the interactions among species within a biological community and the effects of environmental factors on these interactions

Interspecific Relationships

Niche

The niche is the role and position a species has in its environment, which includes its habitat, resource use, and contribution to energy flow

Trophic Levels

Trophic levels represent the roles of species in the ecosystem's energy flow, ranging from primary producers to decomposers

Keystone and Foundation Species

Keystone species exert a significant influence on community structure and stability, while foundation species modify the environment to benefit other species

Environmental Heterogeneity

Environmental heterogeneity is crucial for the coexistence of species by providing a variety of niches that support a balance between competition and specialization

Invasive Species

Invasive species can disrupt the balance of a community by occupying niches that native species cannot

Dynamics of a Single Species

Population ecology focuses on the birth and death rates, age distribution, and population size of a single species within a particular area

Interrelations between Multiple Species

Community ecology examines the interactions between multiple species and their collective response to environmental pressures

Primary Succession

Primary succession occurs in barren environments, where pioneer species establish themselves and gradually lead to a more complex community

Secondary Succession

Secondary succession occurs in areas where an existing community has been disrupted, resulting in a temporary reduction in species diversity until the community recovers or transitions to a different state

Spatial Factors

Spatial factors, such as environmental gradients, can lead to stratification within a community, affecting the distribution and interactions of species