A range or territory in which at least two populations or species share the land and resources is referred to as an ecology community. These fields are of particular interest to animal scientists and ecologists because they generate information about species interactions, a species’ role in context, and ecosystem behavior and health. Understanding an ecology community can provide valuable insight into the health of various organisms as well as the long-term viability of species.
For a variety of reasons, an ecology community can be examined and observed. When two or more social groups of a single species share territory, such as Jane Goodall’s studies of chimp populations in the Gombe Reserve, their interactions and behavior can be observed. Scientists can also study predator/prey relationships between different species by looking at an ecology community. Understanding how different species share the same resources, such as water reservoirs in desert ecosystems, is another important area.
In an ecology community, animals aren’t the only organisms being studied. Botanists and environmental scientists are interested in the interactions and effects of one plant species on another. The impact of exotic species on an ecosystem is one area of particular interest. When new species are introduced, native plants are often unable to defend themselves against non-native plant species, resulting in devastation and possibly extinction of native plants. This is particularly evident in Australia, where a plethora of native plants, such as blackberries and prickly pear cactus, have succumbed to voracious imports.
There are several criteria that can be used to evaluate an ecology community. Scientists may look for evidence and examples of species interaction and how it affects different groups of people. The way populations interact can be beneficial to both, harmful to one, neutral to both, or harmful to both. In turn, how people interact can have an impact on the region’s population size and health, resource division, social and physical evolution, and biodiversity.
Scientists can gain a better understanding of how ecosystems work and how likely they are to survive by studying ecology communities. Changes in resource availability, introduced species, human hunting, and new diseases can all lead to unstable communities. When studying ecology communities, it becomes clear that most plant and animal species rely on one another for survival. The success or failure of species interaction often determines food chains and the distribution of natural resources. Science can provide advice and recommendations on how to preserve healthy communities and restore failing ones to a healthy balance by studying these interactions.