Community ecology

Biozönologie or Community Ecology is the science that deals with a wide range of combinations of the organisms in communities ( biocenosis ) and the interaction of these communities with each other.

The Biozönologie deals with structures and functions of biological communities. In contrast to the closely related Synecology the organisms are the focus of attention. This subheading includes studies on food webs in communities, for structural patterns in communities to antagonistic and synergistic relationships between species to koevolutiven Konnexen and much more.

Although there is now the concept Biozönologie and related works already for 130 years, remained their meaning significantly behind that of many other ecological disciplines. For example, while the younger plants sociology developed rapidly, the Community Ecology plugged in many cases still in its infancy. The reason lies in the high number of species of animals and thus unmanageable number of possible relations of the animal species and between animals and vegetation. Few studies consider both phytosociological - structural and zoozönologische findings. Add to that the spatio-temporal dynamics and different depending on the life cycle habitat preferences of many organisms.