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How do ecotones form between neighboring ecosystems?

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Zenaida macroura: mouring doves — ecology Mourning doves (*Zenaida macroura*) on their nest protected within the prickly branches of a cactus in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona, U.S.

An ecotone forms as a transitional junction zone where two distinct biological communities overlap. These areas emerge naturally as part of the patch dynamics of ecosystems, which are typically composed of a patchwork of communities existing at varying successional stages.12

The formation of these boundaries is influenced by the sizes, frequencies, and intensities of environmental disturbances. Whether occurring as a broad belt or a small pocket, such as a forest clearing, the ecotone blends the characteristics of the flanking communities. In aquatic environments, ecotones form where different bodies of water meet, such as estuaries, or at the interface between land and water, such as marshes.21

These zones are defined by the edge effect, often hosting a higher population density and a greater diversity of species than the surrounding communities, including organisms specifically adapted to the transition.12