The ecological dominance is defined as the exercise of influence superior control of one or more species over all other species living in the same ecosystem. The foregoing, by virtue of their number, size, productivity or related activities.
Ecological dominance is the degree to which a species is more numerous than its competitors in an ecological community, or predominates over the total amount of living matter present in that community or ecosystem (biomass).
It is a plant or animal that is particularly abundant in a certain area, or that controls a significant portion of the energy flow within a community.
In fact, most ecological communities are defined by their dominant species. For example, mangroves are known by this name because of the predominance of mangroves to their credit.
The dominant species influence the local environment, distributing the spatial structure of the place in a certain way, and regulating the existence of natural resources.
Even the dominant species also influence the distribution of other living organisms. Therefore, they help define the ecosystem and its characteristics.
What are the characteristics that make a species dominant in an ecosystem?
The dominance of some species over others occurs when some living beings thrive in certain environments, due to their compatibility with the climate and the natural resources that make life in the place.
The adaptability of the species to the variables, and their propensity towards procreation, are also key factors.
In addition, a dominant species is usually superior in obtaining resources, has greater resistance against diseases and successfully confronts competitors or predators of other species, establishing its dominant position over the entire community.
For example, to survive in the desert it is necessary for organisms to adapt to the living conditions of arid regions. Therefore, they must be provided to live with very little water and constant exposure to the sun, given the scarcity of trees that provide shade.
In view of this, large mammals are not common in desert areas, since they are not able to store water or withstand extreme heat conditions.
In the Sonoran Desert of North America, saguaro, prickly and barrel cacti are some of the most common vegetables. For its part, the kangaroo rat is particularly well adapted to life in the desert, and therefore enjoys a relatively high number of the population in that area.
He is on a diet of desert grass seeds, which provides him with enough moisture to survive without drinking water. In addition, because kangaroo rats do not sweat like many other animals, they do not lose water from their bodies.
They have exceptional hearing and can jump more than 2.7 meters high, which allows them to easily sneak away from local predators.
References
- Ecological Dominance (1997). Glossary of Environment Statistics. New York, USA. Recovered from: stats.oecd.org
- McCarson D. (2017). Examples of Dominant Species. California, USA. Recovered from: sciencing.com
- Norborg, K (2017). Dominant Species in a Diverse Ecosystem. California, USA. Recovered from: education.seattlepi.com
- Parker, S. and McGraw-Hill Education (2002). McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms. New York, USA. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
- Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (2017). Dominance ecology). Recovered from: en.wikipedia.org.