Index >> Fundamentals of Microbial Ecology >> Development of Microbial Communities

Diversity
The heterogenecity of an ecosystem is the diversity. The variety of organisms occurring together in a biological community signifies diversity. Communities are usually-characterised by a high state of diversity.

Diversity is related to the complexity of the food web of a community. Food energy can move through a community by a multitude of pathways if the community is diverse. If it is simple, the loss of one or few key species could cause profound changes or even collapse. Similarly, the abnormal rise in the key species may cause an immediate rise in the population of its predator, particularly if it has only one predator that is very narrow in its food requirements.