234Ecological function

234 Ecological function

234 Ecological function

(1) Ecological function encompasses the ecological and evolutionary processes and interactions between living and non-living components of ecosystems and ecological communities at all spatial and temporal scales.

(2) Reductions in ecological function may be indicated by the following—

(a) a change to community structure,

(b) a change in species composition,

(c) the disruption of ecological processes,

(d) the invasion and establishment of exotic species,

(e) the degradation of habitat,

(f) the fragmentation of habitat,

(g) the declining abundance or distribution of constituent species within an ecological community.