EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -ecotope (plural ecotopes) An ecological habitat on the scale of individual organisms sharing space. Many ecotopes together, either adjacent or overlapping, make up an eco-region or larger unit.

Detailed explanation-2: -Heterogeneity, scale, pattern–process relationships, hierarchy, disturbance, coupled ecological–social dynamics, and sustainability are among the key concepts in landscape ecology.

Detailed explanation-3: -Patch, a term fundamental to landscape ecology, is defined as a relatively homogeneous area that differs from its surroundings. Patches are the basic unit of the landscape that change and fluctuate, a process called patch dynamics.

Detailed explanation-4: -Examples of ecotones include marshlands (between dry and wet ecosystems), mangrove forests (between terrestrial and marine ecosystems), grasslands (between desert and forest), and estuaries (between saltwater and freshwater).