Taxocene

A taxocene is a distinct community of organisms found within a larger ecosystem, focusing on a specific taxonomic group (e.g., birds, insects, or plants). Unlike a biocoenosis, which represents the entire community of organisms interacting in a particular environment, a taxocene is delimited by the particular taxa under consideration. The study of taxocenes allows ecologists to simplify complex ecological systems by focusing on specific components. This reductionist approach is useful for analyzing community structure, species interactions, and responses to environmental changes within a defined group of organisms. The boundaries of a taxocene are defined by taxonomic criteria, not necessarily by functional roles or trophic levels within the broader ecosystem. Therefore, the term helps to analyze specific components of an ecosystem for targeted research and conservation efforts.