Last Update: 2 November 2017 Part I

M 109
BIOTIC COMMUNITY

Biotic community is a naturally occurring, mutually sustaining and interacting assemblage of plants
and animals in the same environment fixing, utilizing and transferring energy [ R. L. smith, 1980].
There must energy, some interdependence, some component fixing energy, some component utilise
it and some other transferring the energy.
We can distinguish the biotic community in two types-
i) Major community
ii) Minor community

I) Major community:-
The community, which is of sufficient size and completeness of organization and which, is relatively
independent of eg-pond, Forest, Grassland etc.

II) Minor community:-

The community which is of small size, lacking of completeness of organization, small food chain
and which is dependent of major community in which it is situated for energy and nutrient,
e.g.-is called minor community.
e.g.-Fallen Log, a hole I a tree truants.

Naming of community:-
The community is named after the dominant species usually a plant species.
e.g.- pine forest community, grassland.

Structure of community:-
Structure of community can be analysed by the knowledge of two important parrameter.
a) Number of species -S
b) Number of individual- N

Depending this two parameters we can study-

I) abundance ii) Frequency iii) Relative iv) Dominant v) Species diversity
[For the study of all these basic principles we can apply survey is based on the sample by two ways-
i) The minimum no of sample
ii) The minimum size of sample

Abundance and Density:-

Abundance and density refer to the commonness of a species. The botanist differentiate abundance
and density but zoologist could not make any difference between abundance and density. They use
abundance and density as the same purpose.
Abundance can be calculated by taking some Quadras and by the use formula
A= Abundance
N= No, of individual
I = ith. Species
X= The no of sample
In contrast to this formula density can be calculated by the formula -
ni
D
X
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Both these given an idea about the no of individuals for sample.
After mapping quadrates we get following species -so the relative abundance of species C is
AC= 5/2= 2.5
But if we want to calculate density, then
Dc=ni/x=5/4=1.25
We can calculate abundance by density equation. Density express per unit area population.

Frequency:-
Frequency refers to the degree of 0ccurence and degree of commonness. It is the commonest idea of
the species. Frequency can be calculated by the formula
Xi
F 100
X
Xi = No of sample in which species present.
It we calculate the frequency of a species then we get,
4 100
Fa 100%
4
2
& Fc 100 50%
4
Frequency and abundant got a relationship if we plot a graphical out line. There is a normal
distribution. It will show a linear relationship means the in crease of frequency is the I crease of abundants.
But this is not the case of always. Sometime it Shows contagious in distribution or clumped
distribution or colonious, aggregated in distribution.

When the species is randomly distributed they shows a linear distribution.

Frequency is very important dominant parameter. Plant ecologist Raunkiaer (1934) studied upon the biotic
community of the plant sp. & he established large no of plant community & mcrease five frequency classes-

A 0-20%
B21 -40%
C 41-60%
D 61-80%
E 80% Characteristic sp.
He has given a frequency equation which is

A B C D E

A>B>C>D<E
The frequency may vary from one glob to another glob. So,
wal;wore(1970) used frequency class for soil animal.
` >30% - Abundant sp.
15-29% Frequent sp
5-14% Occasional sp.
<5% Rare sp.
Frequency is also used to measure constancy. Skubala (1999) has identified four constancy classes(
soil mites).
1) Euconstant >75%
2) Constant 51-75%
3) Accessory 26-50%
4) Accidental <25%
Relative Abundance:-
It is the abundants of species in relation to the other species. It is calculated by the formula -

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 ni
RA 100 RA = Relative Abundant
N
N = Total no of individuals of all other species.
33
RAa 100 63.64%
55
This is used to ascertain dominance of a species. This is used for community comparison as well as
used for seasonal variation in community structure.
Mc. Arthur ((1960) stated that when condition is favourable there was found very common species
called opportunistic species & when condition is unfavourable & found some other species called rare
species. But characteristic species maintain a sort of equilibrium-

Sp. Autumn Winter

N RA N RA
a 50 50% 10 20%
b 30 30% 25 50%
c 20 20% 15 30%
100 50

Autumn is a convertible season so the species found in autumn are greater in number. When the no is
decreased the relative abundants then in creade. But when no increase relative abundants increase. So,
neither it become to common or not rare. Relative abundants give us an idea about the relative important of
species.
It is also important in determining the dominance.
Dominant Species:-
In any community there are some species which are more common in comparison to other species
either in number or in biomass. Usually such species occupy more space and therefore they play more
important role in the functioning of community. Such species have higher importance-such species is called
dominant species. This dominance can be adjudged on the basis of relative abundance. On hypothetical
relation a is most dominant & b is the second dominant species.
As for eg- Skubala (1999) has identified four categories of soil mites. These are -
Eudominants >10%
Dominants 5.1% - 10%
Subdominants 2.1% - 5%
Recedent 1.1% - 2%
Tamura (1967) scales-
Dominant >5%
Subdominant in between 2.5%
Rare <2%
Dominance is usually the result of co-acting between two or more species eg. there is a predator A
and they prey B and C. But A has some preferences upon B. AS a result the co-action between
predator and prey B will decline and C will become more common.

Sumber will become dominant because of tiger has more preferences upon spotted deer and as the
result of co-action between prey and predator.

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 Koford (1959) found that the prairae dog is a rabbit like feature convert a mixed grass community
into a short grass community. As if preters to mixed grass community.

KEYSTONE SPECIES :-- Any species whose activity plays an a significant role in determining the
community comparison is known as keystone species. [After R.L.Smith, 1996]
DOMINANCE INDEX :--
Dominance can be calculated by some dominance index suggested by Simpson (1949) as
2
ni
D i = no. of individual of ith sp.
N
N = total no. of individuals.

Other relative or more important index is Mc. Nanghton and Wolf (1970). Dominance index can be
described as the concentration of influence in the two most abundance species. It can be calculated as :--
100Y1 Y2
DI
Y
Where Y1 = abundants of the most common species.
Y2 = abundants of the species which is next common.
Y = Total abundance
Suppose in a community
Y1 = 8
Y2 = 7
Rest = 35
Total = 50
1007 8
DI 30%
50
The two most common species account for 30% of the total community.
Dominance index is a very good bio-dominance. It is correlated with harshness. DI increases with
harshness. A pollutant environment is a harsh environment.
Any environment which experience severe fluctuation in climatic factor (temp. moisture) are
considered as harsh environment. Equatorial region is harsh. Our climate is equitable (comfortable).
Similar Karr (1971) opined that dominance index (DI) increase with the decreases of the vegetation
and dominance index (DI) is decreases with the increases of the vegetation. He has supported an idea with
the help of some data avifauna of different habitat.

If we compare the temperature and tree the

dominance index (DI) is decreased. The tropical
areas are more equitable for temperate area.

Why the dominance index is increases in harsh ?

In equitable environment all species are
common. No species are extra ordinary dominance.
But in a stress environment and disturbance region
one or two species become very common or
dominant and other species are rare.

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