ecotone

American  

[ek-uh-tohn, ee-kuh-] / ˈɛk əˌtoʊn, ˈi kə- /

noun

Ecology.

1. the transition zone between two different plant communities, as that between forest and prairie.

---

ecotone British  

/ ˈɛkə-, ˈiːkəˌtəʊn /

noun

1. the zone between two major ecological communities

---

ecotone Scientific  

/ ē′kə-tōn′ /

1. A transitional zone between two ecological communities, as between a forest and grassland or a river and its estuary. An ecotone has its own characteristics in addition to sharing certain characteristics of the two communities.

2. See also edge effect

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ecotonal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ecotone

1900–05; eco- + tone < Greek tónos tension