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Ecology and ecosystems Basic knowledge in natural sciences like physics, biology, chemistry and ecology is necessary to understand what happens to Earth, the planet on which we all live. Ecology is the study of environmental systems and how they intra- and interact. This includes the abiotic non-living environment; the litosphere, the hydrosphere water , the atmosphere air , the cryosphere the frozen areas and the biosphere the living. In principle we start out with a big piece of rock and dust. The crust of our planet is termed The Litosphere.
To the litosphere we add water: On top of this we add air - The atmosphere. The atmosphere has several layers, but in this connection the emphasis will be on the two major layers; the lower layer where most living organisms are able to breathe, and the upper layer, where the air is too thin for normal organisms to survive. Close to the litosphere is The troposphere - about 10 km up in the air is The stratosphere.
For instance, intensive fertilizer use in the midwestern United States has resulted in degraded fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. Frontiers in ecology and environmental science. Ecosystem ecologists look at relationships between organisms and their environment. Biology Botanical terms Ecological terms Plant morphology terms. Add to Add to Add to.
With energy from the sun, the system is ready for the next step: The biosphere includes all living organisms: The ecosphere is the area where we can find ecosystems, or it can refer to a planetary ecosystem consisting of the influence of the solar system, the geosphere the planet , the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and the biosphere. Recipe for an Ecosphere NASA In order for complex ecosystems to thrive, it is necessary to have a fairly stable temperature.
When day and night temperatures vary by more than 30 centigrades, more complex living organisms have to struggle to maintain homeostasis. Most organisms - plants and animals - have periodic life cycle events. These life cycles are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate, and of course by long term climatic changes. A separate field of ecological study called phenology focuses on such life cycles.
Several phenological studies indicate impacts of climate change. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere prevent drastic temperature falls at nighttime or in dark periods by slowing down the outward going energy that is leaving the planet in the form of infrared light. In other words, we do not need very much greenhouse gas to obtain the desired effect.
With a fairly stable average global temperature of around 14 centigrades, rather than 30 centigrades colder, as it would have been without greenhouse gases, the basis for higher forms of life is present. Without greenhouse gases, freshwater would freeze every night. Frozen water, The cryosphere , is difficult to access for living organisms. In other words; the biosphere will not thrive if the hydrosphere is only available in the form of a cryosphere. On the other hand, mountain glaciers provide important freshwater storages, feeding meltwater into rivers during the warm seasons.
Without mountain glaciers, several rivers would dry up during summer seasons, in other words periodically removing the hydrosphere from the ecosystem. A "correct" chemical composition of gases in the atmosphere is thus crucial for the development of higher forms of life. The biosphere is divided in producers or plants, consumers or animals and parasites at various levels and decomposers: Waterbuck 1st consumer , Masai Mara.
Ecosystems According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, an "ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plant, animal, and microorganism communities and the nonliving environment interacting as a functional unit". Ecosystems are composed of a part of the litosphere, water, air, living organisms. These components interact with each other and with their environment within the ecosystem.
In this interaction, energy is exchanged and cycles of elements emerge. In a sustainable ecosystem everything moves in cycles. Nothing can accumulate at points within the system for longer periods. There is no waste or garbage. An ecosystem may contain one or more habitats , with varying amounts of water, shade, minerals, wind, salt, light, temperature and other species. A habitat is an area inhabited by a particular species of animal or plant. Some plants and animals are very specialised, and must have certain conditions in the ecosystem fulfilled to be able to survive in their habitat.
The more specialised the animal or plant is, the more sensitive or vulnerable it is to change in e. Opportunistic or invasive species may enter the habitat and may decimate or exterminate the specialised species. Definition Ecosystems are the natural systems that are made up of living and non-living things working together.
Studying Systems Ecosystem ecologists do study overall systems, but in order to understand the system as a whole they need to look at the individual parts and what those parts contribute. Try it risk-free No obligation, cancel anytime. Want to learn more? Select a subject to preview related courses: Lesson Summary Ecosystem ecology is the study of ecosystems as a whole, but understanding the whole means looking at the individual parts and how they work together. Learning Outcomes Once you are done, you should be able to: Recall what ecosystem ecology entails List some of the ecosystem processes that are studied by ecosystem ecologists Explain why ecosystem ecologists are often interdisciplinary.
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Ecosystem ecology is the integrated study of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of ecosystems and their interactions within an ecosystem. Ecosystem ecology is the study of questions about the living and nonliving components within the environment, how these factors interact with each other, and.
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