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Ecosystems
This category is a discussion of the environment in which animals, plants, and microorganisms live, how they interact with each other and what the impact of various living entities have on the environment can be found in this section.
15,116 Questions
What factors dertermine the kinds of organisms that can live in a saltwater ecosystem?
Factors that determine the organisms in a saltwater ecosystem include salinity levels, temperature, oxygen availability, and nutrient levels. Organisms must be adapted to handle high salt concentrations and fluctuations in conditions like tides and currents.
In what order does natural succession occur between prairie lake forest and marsh?
Natural succession typically occurs in the following order: prairie, followed by marsh, then forest. This sequence is based on changes in environmental conditions and species interactions as the ecosystem matures over time.
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the earth such as communities of plants,animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems.
What three human activies are threatening both coral reefs and coastal ecosystems?
Hunting
- Overhunting is a problem throughout the world despite many government attempts to keep poaching and overharvesting at bay. The killing of animals for food can be beneficial to an extent because of the disease and other problems related to overpopulation of a species. But when a species is hunted to extremes, its numbers eventually begin to decline and it becomes endangered or extinct. Since animals all play some role in the ecosystem, this type of hunting threatens the balance in nature that exists.
Deforestation
- The ecosystem is constantly threatened because of habitat destruction. One of the most disturbing human activities concerning the environment is the mass deforestation for agricultural purposes or land development.
- All species of animals have specific needs in their habitat, and some rely on a relatively small habitat that may not exist elsewhere. Once humans level the forest they call home, they are likely to disappear form existence over time.
Non-Native Species Introductions
- The ecosystem is a delicate balance of plant and animal species that belong in a particular area. But humans introduce non-native species to new habitats for their own purposes. For example, an animal is introduced to a new area where it did not previously exist to help cut down on a rodent overpopulation. Eventually the new animal begins to have its own impact on the new area, and often it results in trouble for other native species. Non-native plants may also become a problem by taking over existing native species in a new place, meaning an important flower or herb may be smothered out.
Chemicals move globally through abiotic factors like air currents, water cycles, and soil dynamics. These chemicals are then taken up by biotic factors such as plants, animals, and microbes, which further distribute them through their interactions and movements within the ecosystem. This global movement of chemicals is essential for nutrient cycling and maintaining the balance of ecosystems worldwide.
How many kingdoms are there in living things.?
The modern understanding of Biology recognises six kingdoms:
- Animalia (animals)
- Plantae (plants)
- Fungi
- Protista (single-celled organisms with a cell nucleus)
- Archaea (single-celled organisms without a cell nucleus)
- Bacteria (single-celled organisms without a cell nucleus)
What is an abiotic factor that affects a freshwater ecosystem?
Sunlight is an abiotic factor that affects a freshwater ecosystem as it plays a vital role in photosynthesis for aquatic plants, which are the base of the food chain in these ecosystems.
What is an abiotic part of an ecosystem made of rock and water?
The abiotic part of an ecosystem made of rock and water is the physical environment. Rocks provide the structure and composition of the ecosystem, while water is essential for various processes like hydration and nutrient transport. Together, they shape the habitat and influence the organisms that can live in that ecosystem.
Is it possible to have more consumers than producers in a pyramid of numbers?
No, a pyramid of numbers represents the number of organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem, with producers at the base and consumers above. It follows the 10% energy transfer rule, where energy is lost as it moves up the trophic levels, resulting in a smaller number of consumers than producers.
What is dentrifying bacteria and why are they harmful to crops?
Denitrifying bacteria are microbes that convert nitrate (NO3-) or nitrite (NO2-) back into nitrogen gas (N2) through a process called denitrification. This process can reduce the availability of nitrogen in the soil for crops, limiting their growth and productivity. Additionally, denitrification releases nitrogen gas, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution.
What 2 things do monarchs need to live?
Monarchs need milkweed plants to lay their eggs on, as their caterpillars exclusively feed on milkweed. Additionally, monarchs need nectar from various flowering plants to provide them with energy and sustenance as adults.
What organism can be photosynthetic or heterotrophic?
Any organism that has the ability to create its own food (usually via photosynthesis) and also to consume other organisms for energy is both a heterotroph and an autotroph.
For example, the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) has the ability to photosynthesize, but can supplement its food by consuming insects.
Is substrate a abiotic factor?
Substrate is typically considered an abiotic factor in an ecosystem. It refers to the non-living material on or in which an organism lives and grows. It can include things like soil, rocks, sand, or water, which provide physical support and habitat for living organisms.
How would an ecosystem be affected by a decline in their numbers?
It could impact the ecosystem immensely. It would decrease the number of animals that feed off the producers, and then decrease the number of animals that feed off those animals etc. Its a massive chain, as soon as you change one little thing everything else changes
How do predators balance prey in ecosystems?
The simple answer is - they don't. The "balance" to which you refer is just a matter of where things settle out. While the various species are "balancing", some may die out in the environment, some may thrive, some may overpopulate to a detrimental level. The point at which the population levels of the various species stops changing is basically the balance point. It all depends on the resources available and the fitness of each species for obtaining the resources it needs to survive and reproduce. If conditions change, during a drought for example, then the species are going to go through that balancing process again. Some might die out. Heck, they might ALL die out. Different species might thrive. In other words, there is no guarantee that nature will support a given balance of species within a certain environment. Predator/prey, mutualism, and parasitism (and commensalism, etc.) are strategies species use to try to make themselves more fit and able to survive and reproduce.
Depending on conditions, some of these strategies are more beneficial than others.
What is the organism that lives by preying on others?
A predator, possibly a Carnivore, Parasite, However all organisms aside from plants, rely either on plants or other organisms that rely on plants. Even a farmer that grows potatoes can be seen as a predator as he calmly waits for them to grow, then when they have reached the maturity that he requires, Bang he rips them pout of the ground and eats or sells them.
Use the transparency to describe a food chain that includes a mountain lion and a shrub?
The shrub is eaten by a rabbit, which is then hunted by the mountain lion. This forms a food chain where the shrub is the primary producer, the rabbit is the primary consumer, and the mountain lion is the secondary consumer. As the mountain lion preys on the rabbit, it regulates the rabbit population and helps maintain the balance of the ecosystem.
Did Carl Linnaeus' system work?
Yes, he made the naming system called binomial nomenclature, which is what we still use today. It consists of the organism's genus name (which is capitalized) and its species name (lowercase).
Example: The scientific name for the house cat is Felis domesticus
What role do trees play in the carbon dioxide cycle?
Carbon dioxide is an essential element of photosynthesis, which produces glucose and oxygen for trees and all plants in general.
What kind of symbiotic relationships do gorillas have?
Gorillas have mutualistic relationships with certain species of insects, like ticks and beetles, which help with grooming and pest control. They also exhibit commensal relationships with certain birds that follow them, feeding on insects disturbed by the gorillas' movements without affecting the gorillas.
What biome has the highest primary production in terrestrial ecosystems?
Tropical rainforests have the highest primary production in terrestrial ecosystems due to their high levels of rainfall, sunlight, and warm temperatures that support abundant plant growth. These biomes have a high diversity of plant species that contribute to their high productivity.
Name a characteristic type of plant for each ofthe six land biomes?
- Tropical Rainforest: Epiphytes such as orchids
- Desert: Cacti like the saguaro
- Grassland: Prairie grasses like bluestem
- Deciduous Forest: Trees like oak or maple
- Taiga: Coniferous trees like spruce or pine
- Tundra: Mosses and lichens
Corpse is biotic because it was once living.
Biotic = something that is living, or that lived at one time (animal, plant, bug)
Abiotic = nonliving things (dirt, air, rock, water)
Who first discovered the ecosystem?
Arthur Tansley
Here is some further information
Tansley's early publications focused on palaeobotany, especially fern evolution.[2] Tansley founded the botany journal New Phytologist in 1902 to serve as "a medium of easy communication and discussion between British botanists on all matters . . . including methods of teaching and research". It was named after the Phytologist, a botanical magazine published between 1842 and 1863.[11] In establishing this journal, Tansley's aim was to provide a venue for the publication of "notes and suggestions"; existing botanical journals only published records of completed research.[6] He remained editor of the journal until 1931.[11]
Tansley's introduction to ecology came in 1898 when he read Warming's Plantesamfund (in its German translation, Lehrbuch der ökologischen Pflanzengeographie). Reading the book provoked him to "[go] out into the field to see how far one could match the plant communities Warming had described for Denmark in the English countryside". In 1903 he learned of the work done by the Smith brothers in mapping the vegetation of Scotland and Yorkshire. The work was initiated by Robert Smith and continued by his brother, William Gardner Smith (in conjunction with Charles Edward Moss) after Robert's death.[1] In 1904 Tansley suggested the formation of a central body for the systematic survey and mapping of the British Isles. This led to the establishment of the "Central Committee for the Survey and Study of British Vegetation" by Tansley, Moss, William Smith and T. W. Woodhead,[3] with the support of Marcel Hardy, F. J. Lewis, Lloyd Praeger and W. M. Rankin. These eight formed the original committee,[1] with Tansley as its leader.[3] F. W. Oliver later joined the group as its ninth member. The name of the group was later shortened to "The British Vegetation Committee". The aim of the group was to coordinate ongoing studies and standardise the methodology being used. The committee met twice more in 1905 and produced a six-page pamphlet, Suggestions for Beginning Survey Work on Vegetation.[1]
In 1911 Tansely, in conjunction with the British Vegetation Committee, organised the first International Phytogeographic Excursion (IPE).[1] He was inspired by a plant geography tour of Switzerland organised by Swiss botanist Carl Schröterin 1908, which introduced him not only to vegetation types, but also to botanists from other countries. The connections made between Tansley and American ecologists Henry Chandler Cowles and Frederic Clements helped build a philosophical and methodological link between British and American plant ecology.[3] Other attendees included Schröter, Swedish botanist Carl Lindman, and German botanists Oscar Drudeand Paul Graebner. Tansley's book Types of British Vegetation was prepared with an eye to serving as a guide to the vegetation for the attendees of the first IPE.[1] The second IPE in 1913 was hosted by Cowles. This brought Tansley to America.[3]
In 1913, the British Vegetation Committee organised the British Ecological Society (BES), the first-ever professional society of ecologists. Tansley served as its first president, and was first editor of the Journal of Ecology, a position he held for 21 years.[3] In 1915 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and in 1923 he was elected president of the Botanical Section of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. At the Imperial Botanical Congress in 1924 he was appointed chairman of the British Empire Vegetation Committee. He served as president of the BES a second time in 1938.[7]
William S. Cooperconsidered Tansley's most influential publications synthesised individual studies into a whole.[3] In 1935 Tansley published "The use and abuse of vegetational terms and concepts"[12] in which he introduced the ecosystem concept.[fn 1][4] In the 1930s ecological thinking was dominated by the work of Clements, who thought of ecological communities as organisms, and associations as superorganisms.[4] Tansley devised the concept to draw attention to the importance of transfers of materials between organisms and their environment,[13] regarding ecosystems as the basic units of nature.[4]
" Though the organisms may claim our prime interest, when we are trying to think fundamentally, we cannot separate them from their special environments, with which they form one physical system.[12] "Tansley's interest in teaching led to the production of the Elements of Plant Ecology in 1922, which was followed by Practical Plant Ecology in 1923 and Aims and methods in the study of vegetation in 1926, coauthored with Thomas Ford Chipp.[3] The last book, edited for the British Empire vegetation committee, was extremely influential not just in defining ecological methods but in highlighting the need for a complete inventory of the empire's "vegetational assets". With this information, it would be possible to efficiently manage the vast natural resources of the empire.[14] Tansley's most comprehensive work, The British Islands and Their Vegetation was published in 1939. In recognition of this achievement, he was awarded the Linnean Medal in 1941.[3]
During the Second World War Tansley became committed to conservation, and this continued through post-war reconstruction. He chaired a committee of the BES that formulated a policy on nature reserves and led to the formation of the Nature Conservancy,[3] which he also chaired.[7] Tansley's conservation work was the basis cited for his knighthood in 1950.[3]
Tansley was introduced to psychologyby a former student, Bernard Hart, who worked as a doctor in mental hospitals near London. While working for the Ministry of Munitions during the First World War, he had a dream which was described as "one of the major turning points in his life" - from this dream came Tansley's interest in Freud and psychoanalysis.[9] In 1920 he published The New Psychology and its Relation to Life, one of the first books that attempted to introduce the ideas of Freud and Carl Jung to a general audience. The book was a bestseller, selling 10,000 copies in the United Kingdom and 4,000 in the United States. In 1922 Tansley spent three months with Freud, and the following year he moved his family to Vienna for a year. Although he later returned to botanical pursuits, Tansley remained in contact with Freud and wrote his obituary.[9] Recent research by Peder Anker has suggested a close theoretical relationship between Tansley's ecology and his psychology.[15]
