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Glite Dictionary
ecotype

ecotype

8.4
A group of the same plant or animal species adapted to a certain local environment
  • noun
  • /ˈiːkoʊˌtaɪp/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ecotipo
  • Today, Kenya holds the only substantial wild population of the northeastern ecotype/subspecies of the Black Rhinoceros, numbering around 450-500 animals.
  • two ecotypes

Examples

  • Researchers have identified several ecotypes of fish that thrive in different river environments.

  • The adaptation of various ecotypes allows a species to survive in a wide range of habitats.

  • Two caribou ecotypes roam the woods of Ontario.

    Academic text (2012)

  • This is a goal change experiment where Bradley ecotypes seeds collected from New York, Boston and Burlington, Vt.

  • Both the Arabidopsis and rice probes were designed by aligning genomic sequences from representatives of two divergent ecotypes.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Studying the distinct ecotypes of plants can help us understand how species cope with climate change.

How Locally Adapted

subspecies
  • Specialized
1 6.8
ecotype
  • Specialized
8.4
variety
  • Specialized
33 7.2
population
  • Specialized
218 2.7

Surface Forms

ecotype singular
ecotypes plural

Morphology

ecotype = type (semi-transparent) = eco + type + eco

The element 'eco-' denotes environment and combines predictably with 'type' to mean an environmental 'kind', but 'eco-' is a technical combining form (not a standalone common word), so the compound is somewhat specialized.

Etymology

Ecotype combines eco-, the same root you find in ecology and ecosystem meaning 'house' or 'environment', with type, meaning 'kind'. So an ecotype is a 'kind' of a species that is specially suited to a particular local environment.