Ecocline
Ecocline
Ecocline (pronunciation: /ˈiːkəʊˌklaɪn/ or /ˈɛkəʊˌklaɪn/) is a term used in Ecology to describe a gradient of environmental change in an ecosystem. The term is derived from the Greek words "oikos" meaning house, and "cline" meaning slope or gradient.
An ecocline can be a continuous or a discontinuous gradient, resulting from the gradual change in one or more environmental factors across a geographical area. This can lead to a corresponding gradual change in the species composition of the ecosystem.
Types of Ecoclines
There are two main types of ecoclines:
- Induced Ecocline: This type of ecocline is caused by human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, and industrialization.
- Natural Ecocline: This type of ecocline is caused by natural environmental changes such as changes in temperature, precipitation, and soil composition.
Importance of Ecoclines
Ecoclines are important in the study of biodiversity, biogeography, and conservation biology. They provide valuable information about the distribution and abundance of species, and can help in predicting the effects of environmental changes on ecosystems.
See Also
References
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ecocline
- Wikipedia's article - Ecocline
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski