The zone in which there is a continuous change from one ecosystem to another in the absence of a sharp boundary between the two in terms of species composition is called an ecoline. Climatic changes take place because of the shifting of boundaries between ecosystems. Ecotones also show sensitivity toward global climate change. They offer protections to the bordering of an ecosystem from various damages and that's why they are known to be the buffer zone.Д®. They act as a bridge or mode of transportation of gene flow from one population to another as they show larger genetic diversity.Д. by providing space for nesting for those animals who roam here and there in search of food or a place for a nest.Д¬. They provide a comfortable habitat for different organisms i.e. Ecotones show greater variation in an organism.Д«. They may also contain those species which are totally different from those found in the bordering systems.Д®cotones have so many important roles in the ecosystem, some of them are listed below:ДЄ. They are known to be zones of tension as they show conditions intermediate to the bordering ecosystems.Д. They may vary in size from narrow to wide.Д¬. Example: agriculture field and forest (it is a man-made one).Д«. Some of the major characteristic features of ecotones are discussed below:ДЄ. Ecotone can also be seen in the area where one water body meets with another water body like estuaries and lagoons or at the boundary line between water and land like marshes.Д«oth of these ecotones are differentiated on the basis of the presence of large plants that rise from the roots attached to the submerged substrate and because of this reason they are found in areas where ample light is available at the bottom of the basin to permit growth. Mountain ranges can also create ecotones due to the changes in the climatic conditions on the slopes. Some of the very known examples of ecotones are marshlands (between dry and wet ecosystems), mangrove forests (between terrestrial and marine ecosystems), grasslands (between desert and forest), and estuaries (between saltwater and freshwater). They may also exist along a broad belt or in a small pocket, such as a forest clearing, where two local communities blend together.

They are home to many flora and fauna as they have an area transition between two ecosystems and biomes. They are known to be of great environmental importance as they often contain those species which are not found in the overlapping communities. Ecotone is known to be a transitional area, which is present between two ecosystems or two different pleasant communities like forest and grassland.

Ecotone example