Basics on ecomorphology

Nair, Rekha J (2024) Basics on ecomorphology. In: Know your Marine Biodiversity & Environment MarBiE 3: Water and Sediment Analytical Techniques with Special Reference to Marine Life. CMFRI Training Manual Series No: 45/2024 . ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, pp. 73-82.

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Abstract

Ecomorphology is an integrative field that combines ecology and morphology to study the relationship between an organism‘s physical form, its ecological roles, and the environmental pressures it faces. In marine fisheries, ecomorphology provides insights into how fish species have evolved physical adaptations that allow them to thrive in diverse ecological niches. Ecomorphology thus forms an integral part of comparative biologyand is particularly valuable in understanding the complex interactions between fish morphology, behaviour, habitat preferences, and feeding strategies—key factors that influence fishery dynamics and management. The term has two integral concepts -ecology and morphology. While morphology is a biological discipline that seeks to understand the biology of organisms based on their structural characteristics (Maier, 1994), ecology is the study of the relationships between animals and their environments—encompassing both living and non-living components (King and Russell, 1909). Ecomorphology is thus the comparative study of how morphology influences ecological relationships and how ecological factors, in turn, shape morphology across different life stages, populations, species, communities, and evolutionary lineages (Luczkovich et al., 1995). The term ecomorphology was coined by van der KLAAUW in 1948. Of the many definitions of ecomorphology, the one by (Bloch 1990) is very relevant- Ecomorphology focuses on analyzing the adaptive significance of morphological traits, exploring how these features enable organisms to interact with their environments. It encompasses various interrelated topics, including comparative studies of adaptations across different species, the influence of competition and other ecological pressures on morphological modifications, the structural organization of ecological communities, and the diversity observed within taxonomic groups. The primary aim of ecomorphology is to understand how organisms respond to environmental challenges by comparing various patterns in morphological and ecological traits (Motta et al., 1995).

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