For the same species living closely together, see
Colony (biology).
Colonisation or colonization is the spread and development of an organism in a new area or habitat. Colonization comprises the physical arrival of a species in a new area, but also its successful establishment within the local community. In
ecology, it is represented by the symbol λ (lowercase
lambda) to denote the long-term intrinsic growth rate of a population.
Surrounding theories and applicable process have been introduced below. These include dispersal, colonisation-competition trade off and prominent examples that have been previously studied.
One classic
scientific model in
biogeography posits that a species must continue to colonize new areas through its
life cycle (called a taxon cycle) in order to achieve
longevity. Accordingly, colonisation and extinction are key components of
island biogeography, a theory that has many applications in ecology, such as
metapopulations. Another factor included in this scientific model is the competition-colonisation trade off. This idea goes into the driving factors of colonisation through many species that all share a need to expand.
Scale
Colonisation occurs on several scales. In the most basic form, as
biofilm in the formation of communities of
microorganisms on surfaces.[1]
This microbiological colonisation also takes place within each animal or plant and is called
microbiome.
In small scales such as colonising new sites, perhaps as a result of
environmental change. And on larger scales where a species expands its
range to encompass new areas. This can be through a series of small encroachments, such as in
woody plant encroachment, or by long-distance
dispersal. The term range expansion is also used.[2]
Dispersal
Dispersion in biology is the dissemination, or scattering, of organisms over periods within a given area or over the Earth. The dispersion of species into new locations can be inspired by many causes. Often times species naturally disperse due to
physiological adaptations which allows for a higher survival rate of
progeny in new ecosystems. Other times these driving factors are environmentally related, for example
global warming,
disease,
competition,
predation. Dispersion of different species can come in many forms. Some prime examples of this is flight of species across long distances, wind dispersal of plant and fungi progeny, long distance of travel in packs, etc.
Competition-Colonisation Trade-off
The competition-colonisation trade-off refers to a driving factor that has a large influence over diversity and how it is maintained in a community. This is considered a driving factor because all species have to make a decision to entertain competition with others in the community or disperse from the community in hopes of a more optimal environment. This can span from available nutrient sources, light exposure, oxygen availability, reproduction competition, etc.. These trade offs are critical in the explanation of colonisation and why it happens.
Use
The term is generally only used to refer to the spread of a species into new areas by natural means, as opposed to unnaturalintroduction or
translocation by humans, which may lead to
invasive species.
the colonisation of the Earth's land by the first animals, the
arthropods. The first fossils of land animals come from
millipedes. These were seen about 450 million years ago.[3]
the colonisation of
Burmese pythons into the Florida Everglades. The release of snakes came from the desire to breed them and sell them as exotic pets. As they grew people became unable to care for the animals and began to release them into the Everglades.
^Livezey, Kent B. (January 2009). "Range Expansion of Barred Owls, Part I: Chronology and Distribution". The American Midland Naturalist. 161 (1): 49–56.
doi:
10.1674/0003-0031-161.1.49.
^Livezey, Kent B. (April 2009). "Range Expansion of Barred Owls, Part II: Facilitating Ecological Changes". The American Midland Naturalist. 161 (2): 323–349.
doi:
10.1674/0003-0031-161.2.323.
Further reading
Look up colonise in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wilson, Edward O. (May 1961). "The Nature of the Taxon Cycle in the Melanesian Ant Fauna". The American Naturalist. 95 (882): 169–193.
doi:
10.1086/282174.
Li, Shao-peng; Cadotte, Marc W.; Meiners, Scott J.; Hua, Zheng-shuang; Jiang, Lin; Shu, Wen-sheng (September 2015). "Species colonisation, not competitive exclusion, drives community overdispersion over long-term succession". Ecology Letters. 18 (9): 964–973.
Bibcode:
2015EcolL..18..964L.
doi:
10.1111/ele.12476.
PMID26189648.
Ali, Jason R.; Hedges, S. Blair (October 2023). "The colonisation of Madagascar by land-bound vertebrates". Biological Reviews. 98 (5): 1583–1606.
doi:
10.1111/brv.12966.
PMID37142264.
Wyse, Sarah V.; Hulme, Philip E. (April 2022). "Competition–colonisation trade-offs are found among but not within wind-dispersed Pinus species". Functional Ecology. 36 (4): 1023–1035.
Bibcode:
2022FuEco..36.1023W.
doi:
10.1111/1365-2435.14004.
Li, Shao-peng; Cadotte, Marc W.; Meiners, Scott J.; Hua, Zheng-shuang; Jiang, Lin; Shu, Wen-sheng (September 2015). "Species colonisation, not competitive exclusion, drives community overdispersion over long-term succession". Ecology Letters. 18 (9): 964–973.
Bibcode:
2015EcolL..18..964L.
doi:
10.1111/ele.12476.
PMID26189648.
Bataille, Arnaud; Levin, Iris I.; Sari, Eloisa H. R. (2018). "Colonization of Parasites and Vectors". Disease Ecology. Social and Ecological Interactions in the Galapagos Islands. pp. 45–79.
doi:
10.1007/978-3-319-65909-1_3.
ISBN978-3-319-65908-4.
PMC7123297.
Wyse, Sarah V.; Hulme, Philip E. (April 2022). "Competition–colonisation trade-offs are found among but not within wind-dispersed Pinus species". Functional Ecology. 36 (4): 1023–1035.
Bibcode:
2022FuEco..36.1023W.
doi:
10.1111/1365-2435.14004.