Rhizophoraceae dominate tropical tidal swamps

Ecological dominance is the degree to which different species in an ecological community predominate. In most communities, one or a few species are most numerous, or form the bulk of the biomass – these are the dominant species. Most ecological communities are defined by their dominant species.

[edit] Examples

• In heathland the dominant species are characteristically one or more species of heather or related plants.
• 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.

[edit] See also

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

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