disclimax

American

[dis-klahy-maks] / dɪsˈklaɪ mæks /

noun

Ecology.

a stable community that has replaced the normal climax in a given area, owing to disturbance by humans or domestic animals.

disclimax British

/ dɪsˈklaɪmæks /

noun

ecology a climax community resulting from the activities of man or domestic animals in climatic and other conditions that would otherwise support a different type of community

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of disclimax

First recorded in 1935–40; dis- ¹ + climax

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In the overgrazed disclimax existing in 1948 when the study areas were reserved, no voles were found because cover was insufficient.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023