[ek-uh-tohn, ee-kuh-] 
| the transition zone between two different plant communities, as that between forest and prairie. |
| e·co·tone (ē'kə-tōn', ěk'ə-) n. A transitional zone between two communities containing the characteristic species of each. [eco- + Greek tonos, tension, tone; see tone.] |
| ecotone (ē'kə-tōn') Pronunciation Key
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. See also edge effect. |
ecotone
a transition area of vegetation between two different plant communities, such as forest and grassland. It has some of the characteristics of each bordering community and often contains species not found in the overlapping communities. An ecotone may exist along a broad belt or in a small pocket, such as a forest clearing, where two local communities blend together. The influence of the two bordering communities on each other is known as the edge effect. An ecotonal area often has a higher density of organisms of one species and a greater number of species than are found in either flanking community. Some organisms need a transitional area for activities such as courtship, nesting, or foraging for food.
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əˌtoʊn