Structures,

Dynamics, and
Processes Functions
of Community

MODULE 3
Objectives:

At the end of this lesson, you should be

able to:
1.Explain the function of communities;
2.Analyze the function of communities in terms
of structures, dynamics and processes; and
3.Enumerate the functions of communities in
terms of structures, dynamics and processes.
 Pre-Test
DIRECTION: Study the pictures below and describe them in only one
word. State the correct answer.

1. 2. 3.
 Lesson 1: Functions of Communities
Introduction
 Different ecological communities can be pretty different in terms of
the types and numbers of species they contain. For instance, some
Arctic communities include just a few species, while some tropical
rainforest communities have huge numbers of species packed into each
cubic meter.
 One way to describe this difference is to say that the communities
have different structures. Community structure is essentially the
composition of a community, including the number of species in that
community and their relative numbers. In this article, we'll look at some
of the ways that community structure can be quantified (measured
numerically). Then, we'll examine factors that shape community
structure, focusing especially on foundation and keystone species.
 Community Structure
Two important measures ecologists use to describe the composition of
a community are species richness and species diversity.

Communities with the highest species richness tend to be found in

areas near the equator, which have lots of solar energy (supporting high
primary productivity), warm temperatures, large amounts of rainfall,
and little seasonal change. Communities with the lowest species
richness lie near the poles, which get less solar energy and are colder,
drier, and less amenable to life. This pattern is illustrated below for
mammalian species richness (species richness calculated only for
mammal species, not for all species). Many other factors in addition to
latitude can also affect a community's species-richness.
 Community Structure
Map shows the spatial distribution of
mammal species richness in North and South
America. The highest number of mammal
species, 179-228 per square kilometer, occurs
in the Amazon region of South America. Species
richness is generally highest in tropical
latitudes, and then decreases to the north and
south, with zero species in the Arctic regions.
 What factors shape community structure?
 The structure of a community is the
result of many interacting factors, both
abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living
organism-related). Here are some
important factors that influence
community structure:
The climate patterns of the community's
location.
The geography of the community's
location.
The frequency of disturbances, or
disruptive events.
Interactions between organisms.
 What factors shape community
structure?
A community's structure can also be
shaped by the chance events that
happened during its history. For instance,
suppose that a single seed blows into the
dirt of a particular area. If it happens to
take root, the species may establish itself
and, after some period of time, become
dominant (excluding similar species). If
the seed fails to sprout, another similar
species may instead be the lucky one to
establish itself and become dominant.
 Community Dynamics

 Community dynamics are the changes in community

structure and composition over time. Sometimes these
changes are induced by environmental disturbances such
as volcanoes, earthquakes, storms, fires, and climate
change. Communities with a stable structure are said to
be at equilibrium. Following a disturbance, the community
may or may not return to the equilibrium state.
 Succession describes the sequential appearance and
disappearance of species in a community over time. In
primary succession, newly exposed or newly formed land
is colonized by living things; in secondary succession, part
of an ecosystem is disturbed and remnants of the
previous community remain.
Primary succession
Itoccurs when new land is formed or rock is exposed: for
example, following the eruption of volcanoes, such as those
on the Big Island of Hawaii. As lava flows into the ocean,
new land is continually being formed. On the Big Island,
approximately 32 acres of land is added each year. First,
weathering and other natural forces break down the
substrate enough for the establishment of certain hearty
plants and lichens with few soil requirements, known as
pioneer species. These species help to further break down
the mineral rich lava into soil where other, less hardy
species will grow and eventually replace the pioneer
species. In addition, as these early species grow and die,
they add to an ever-growing layer of decomposing organic
material and contribute to soil formation. Over time the
area will reach an equilibrium state, with a set of organisms
quite different from the pioneer species.
 Secondary Succession

A classic example of secondary succession

occurs in oak and hickory forests cleared by
wildfire. Wildfires will burn most vegetation
and kill those animals unable to flee the area.
Their nutrients, however, are returned to the
ground in the form of ash. Thus, even when
areas are devoid of life due to severe fires, the
area will soon be ready for new life to take hold.
 Community as a Process

 When we speak of community development, we often

gloss over the conceptual fuzziness of the term “community”.
At a very simple level, when we speak of community
development we are speaking descriptively of communities of
place, whether they be neighborhoods, villages, cities, or
regions. There is some sense of territory, shared space, and
interdependence. A recent article in the journal Community
Development by David Mataritta-Cascante and Mark Brennan
titled “Conceptualizing Community Development in the
Twenty-First Century” (which I highly recommend) reminds of
some of the standard conceptual components of what we
mean by community.
 Social scientists by-and-large have studied
community in terms of structures and systems
of relationships. In other words, communities are
comprised of relationship structures among people
in a given place, as well as groups and institutions
that emerge to help meet the collective needs of
the population. Community has also been studied
in terms of its components. The assets-based
approach discussed often in this blog is the most
widely utilized model in this respect, breaking
down communities in terms of physical, human,
economic, and social assets.
 In addition to thinking of community in terms of
social structures or various kinds of assets,
community can also be thought of as a process.
Field theory, most importantly advanced decades
ago by Harold Kaufman and Kenneth Wilkinson,
emphasizes social interaction as the most
important aspect of community. The idea here is
that communities of place are comprised of
several different fields of interaction (e.g.
education, business, or religion), but “the
community field” is an integrative force that
creates and maintains linkages across the various
fields that otherwise are directed toward more
limited interests.
 This is an extremely important insight into the
“community” aspect of community development. It
reminds us that community is more than just
sharing community space or even interdependence
among people and organizations. And it is more
than the sum-total of the various assets, human,
physical, or otherwise in a place. Rather,
community involves a sense of commonality and
common purpose that emerges out of community-
oriented social interactions, which are qualitatively
different than other social interactions that are
more parochial (or sub-community, if you will).
 TASK 1
DIRECTION: Analyze the following statements and tell whether if it is
True or False. Write “FUNC” if it is true, and write “TION” if it is wrong
in the blanks before the number.
1. Communities with the lowest species richness lie near the poles,
which get less solar energy and are colder, drier, and less amenable to
life.
2. Wildfires will burn most vegetation and kill those animals unable to
flee the area.
3. Community failure is essentially the composition of a community,
including the number of species in that community and their relative
numbers.
4. True sense of community, at the level of the town or region,
only occurs when those different fields of interaction are brought
together or integrated in social interaction at the community
level.

5. Community is less sharing organizational space or even

dependent among people.
 ASSESSMENT
DIRECTION: Complete the table by listing down the function
(s) of communities in terms of Structure, Dynamic, or
Process.