ECOTONE
Charles François (2004). ECOTONE, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1017.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1017 ▶ |
| Object type | Discipline oriented |
The blurred transition zone between an ecosystem and its environment .
In this zone , parts or elements of the ecosystem can be affected by edge effects , as they must adapt to disturbances or different conditions originated through local (and sometimes fractal) inroads of their environment .
The effect is frequently observed in burned down patches in a forest, or at the edge of a mangrove, or close to the boundary of forest and cultivated land.
The ecotone model could possibly be extended to sociology, in relation to cultural or social exchange, or mutations near boundaries .