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Index >> Fundamentals of Microbial Ecology >> What Determines Diversity

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Fundamental of Microbial Ecology Microbial Ecology Introduction Historical Aspects Importance of Microbial Ecology Common Terms Used in Microbial Ecology Concepts of Microbial Ecology (Energy Flow) Bio-Geochemical Cycle (BGC) Attachment Properties of Microbes Development of Microbial Communities

What Determines Diversity

	What Determines Diversity A community that has a complex structure, rich in information as reflected by high species richness (number of species) needs a lower amount of energy for maintaining such a structure. Even though this low energy requirement means a low rate of primary productivity, a stable diversity level is maintained. But, if a community is dominated only by a single species, more energy is needed to maintain them in a stable condition.
Diversity is related to the abundance of ecological niches. An already complex community offers a great variety of potential ecological niches than a simple one. Diversity is inversely related to isolation. For example, islands tend to be much less diverse than ecologically similar continents. This is partly due to the difficulty that many species have in reaching the islands. Diversity is also inversely related to stress and extreme environments. Species diversity tends to be low in physically controlled ecosystems since adaptations to the physicochemical stress are of the highest priority and leave little room for the evolution of closely balanced and integrated species interaction.In acid bogs, hot springs and authentic habitats which are examples of physically controlled habitats, only a few species capable of resisting such conditions will be present.
Diversity is often higher at the margins of distinctive habitats than at the centres because the margins contain all other ecological niches of the habitats. This is called edge effect. Diversity is reduced when anyone species of organism becomes dominant within a community so that it is able to remove a disproportionate share of available resources thus preventing- the growth of many other species. Diversity is greatly affected by biotic history. An area recently vacated by glaciers will have a low diversity because only few species would have had a chance to enter it and become established. A long established stable area might have higher diversity even if it is a poor habitat.

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What Determines Diversity Species Diversity Indices (SDI) Succession and Colonisation Colonisation Per-Emptive Colonisation Succession Outcome of Succession Types of Succession Trends in Succession

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