Dominance (ecology)

For other uses, see Dominance.

Rhizophoraceae (mangroves) dominate tropical tidal swamps

Ecological dominance is the degree to which a taxon is more numerous than its competitors in an ecological community, or makes up more of the biomass. Most ecological communities are defined by their dominant species.

• In many examples of wet woodland in western Europe, the dominant tree is alder (Alnus glutinosa).
• In temperate bogs, the dominant vegetation is usually species of Sphagnum moss.
• Tidal swamps in the tropics are usually dominated by species of mangrove (Rhizophoraceae)
• Some sea floor communities are dominated by brittle stars.
• Exposed rocky shorelines are dominated by sessile organisms such as barnacles and limpets.

See also

• National Vegetation Classification, a system for classifying British plant communities by their dominant species
• Monodominance