...University of Phoenix Material Ecosystem Structure, Function, and Change Select and complete one of the following assignments: Option 1: Ecosystem Components Paper Option 2: Ecosystem Components Video and Summary Option 1: Ecosystem Components Paper Select a representative natural ecosystem in your area or one that you are interested in—such as a lake, preserve, or park—that is managed for native species. • Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper explaining the following: o The major structural and functional dynamics (processes) of that ecosystem including change over time o How humans may have affected biogeochemical cycles in that ecosystem, including impacts to the nitrogen, phosphorus, or carbon cycle o How knowledge about that ecosystem’s structure and function can help or has helped to develop plans for its management and restoration o The implication of species interactions in ecosystem management and restoration • Include two outside references. • Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Option 2: Ecosystem Components Video and Summary Select a representative natural ecosystem in your area or one that you are interested in—such as a lake, preserve, or park—that is managed for native species. • Shoot a 7- to 10-minute video chronicling the following: o The major structural and functional dynamics (processes) of that ecosystem including change over time o How humans may...
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...Comparison of establishment of Cottonwood and Saltcedar Cottonwood (Populus spp.) is native to several temperate and boreal regions of North America where decrease in floodwaters exposes minerals in the soil surfaces. Cottonwoods are ecologically important to arid regions of western and southwestern North America because of the absence of other native tree species as their replacements (Rood and Mahoney, 1990; Cooper et al. 1999). Cottonwoods are prone to high invasion in riparian ecosystems as a result of large amount of hydrological disturbance in such areas (Tabacchi 1995). Cottonwood trees can be either male or female both of which contain flowers clustered in catkins (Braatne et al. 1996). Seeds produced by both flowers are reported to be greater than twenty five millions per tree annually (Schreiner 1974). Since the seed viability is very less lasting for 1-2 weeks under natural conditions and 2-3 days under wet conditions germination of seeds must occur in short period of time. Cottonwoods can also reproduce asexually through crown breakage and tree fall during wind storms and flooding events. The broken branches after being buried in sediment sprout and develop strong shoots. Species, climatic condition and drainage basin of the area determines whether the seedlings are established more from sexual reproduction or asexual propagules may outdo seedlings in growth and competition (Braatne et al. 1996). Cottonwood seedlings are poor competitors and their establishment...
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...A nonnative species is a plant or animal from a foreign region of the world that has established a population in a new area. These alien species may be introduced into an ecosystem through various means. For example, foreign species are most often released into the wild by individuals that have kept them as domestic pets. In addition, they may be transported through ship ballast water or other forms of accidental release. Whereas many species may not be able to survive in foreign conditions, others are able to adapt to new environments (National Ocean Service. Although, nonnative species can be harmless to new environments, harmoniously integrating themselves into the ecosystem, exotic species often cause severe environmental harm becoming “invasive”. An invasive species is an organism that has unbalanced the dynamic of their new habitat. Invasive organisms often exhibit advantageous traits that allow them to over take native populations by depleting food sources and creating unfair competition for mating grounds, habitats, nests, etc (National Ocean Service)....
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...Asterias amurensis: A mariculture pest in Australia. Introduction Globalization of the world economy has substantially increased the rate of biological invasions, as most harmful species arrive as hitchhikers on the vectors of international trade (2). To make it worst, the advances in world-wide shipping and transportation have accelerated the rate of biological invasions, through ocean-going vessel that regularly transit between continents, resulting in up to hundreds of thousands of gallons of plankton-laden ballast water introduced into new environment unintentionally each time (3). In another word, as international trade expands the rate of unintentional introduction of non-native species increases as well. Many of the deliberate introduced species often do not cause any problem as humans knowingly choose a suitable environment to fill an open ecological niche (3). However, on average, those unintentional introduced species often become pest by spreading widely or quickly, and cause harm to the environment, human health, other valued resources or the economy (2). As many of the accidental introduced species lack all or most their native, presumably coevolved, natural competitor or predator to control their growth proportion (3, 8). An example of the many accidental introduced pest species brought about by human activity in coastal zones worldwide which led to the disturbances of marine and estuarine ecosystem in Australia is Asterias amurensis, commonly known as Northern...
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...Ecosystem Structure, Function, and Change Paper (Great Lakes) Shantera Bell October 26, 2015 SCI/256 UOP The Great Lakes region is rich with life and full of native species well adapted to survival. However, since the early 1800s, many non-native plants, animals and microscopic organisms have been introduced into the Great Lakes, either accidentally or intentionally. Great Lakes native species are diverse and interesting and contribute to a healthy ecosystem. There are many unique and interesting birds, fish and plants found in Michigan and throughout the region that are integral to the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem. More than 140 species of birds depend on Michigan’s coastal habitat during their life cycle. Coastal wetlands, beaches, sand dunes and remote islands provide food and shelter for both resident and migratory species. Waterfowl such as Canvasback and Scaup are among the many species that use coastal wetlands as stopover sites to rest and refuel. Shorebirds including the endangered piping plover fly thousands of miles to nest on undisturbed beaches and remote Great Lakes islands. Because of their use of the coastal lands, there are thousands of great locations to see both resident and migratory bird species throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes region. State parks, national parks, wildlife refuges and sanctuaries throughout the state all provide good bird-watching opportunities. Some sites along Michigan’s Great Lakes shoreline are even...
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...Shop, Travelsmart, Friends of Kings Park).” Introduction: Founded in 1992, Planet Ark has encouraged environment change and sustainability for over twenty years and is specially focused on the impact we have on our planet and the sustainable ways we can use to minimize this impact. Planet Ark aims to ‘protect and enhance the natural environment’ (Planet Ark, 2013) and get individuals and businesses involved together to protect the planet and work towards sustainability. Planet Ark undertakes a special annual activity, National Tree Day, planting tress to provide for a sustainable future, which begun in 1996 and continued each year with growing support. One of the main points of focus for National Tree Day is to educate on and plant native trees and plants, creating a sustainable future for the environment by supporting local bio-diversity, however the question remains is Planet Ark achieving this and National Tree Day actively educating and making for a sustainable future? Through the use of various articles, Planet Ark’s own findings and reports and other critical analysis’s we will explore and discover how effective the ideas and the method in which they are carried out truly are. Considering Planet Ark’s prominent status and their devoted attitude to helping the environment, they are the ideal example to focus on. Through critical analysis the question will be answered, is Planet Ark’s National Tree Day successful at creating a sustainable future? Literature Review ...
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...Josh Hooley 12/4/14 Bio Issues Paper For my issues paper I am going to talk about the problems at Bonneville dam, with specifically the salmon munching Sea lions. Since 2002 Bonneville began to have sea lion sightings and at the time there were less than half a dozen of them so they were looked upon as a novelty. Something that was a surprise to see this animal at this particular location since they are native to the coast, a few years went by and the lions numbers increased. By 2004 there were over 100, so the biologists started to see a decrease in salmon numbers, so there started to be irritation instead of interest in the sea lions. This meant now that the people that were trying to increase fish numbers now had another rival, so a question started to be raised about the sea lions and what to do to get them out of the area. In 2008 there started to be rumblings about shooting a few of the animals, although they started with other things such as rubber bullets and empty shells. When this didn’t work they have now began shooting and to the present time there has been 70 confirmed kills, now leading to the question whether or not there should be regulated seasons. Last year research has shown that one third of the spring salmon didn’t make it past the dam, so now there is no doubt that the reason salmon numbers are down is due to the sea lions. So now it basically comes down to how many animals need to be taken out or do all of them need to go? In my...
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...amboinicus Loureiro (oregano) as attractant of the parasitoid, Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead. This project aimed to test the effect of oregano extract on the orientation and stimulation activity of the parasitoid, Trichogramma japonicum. Specifically, it aimed to determine which concentration of the extract (5 mL extract to 500 mL distilled water, 10:500, 15:500 or pure oregano extract) is the most efficient attractant of the parasitoid. The effect of the Coleus amboinicus extract on the attraction response of the parasitoid was determined by the amount of time the Trichogramma japonicum spent inside the treated filter paper during the petri dish bioassay, while its effect on the parasitization of the parasitoid was determined through the number of Corcyra eggs parasitized by the Trichogramma japonicum in a vial still containing treated filter paper. The study showed that Treatment 3 (15:500) was the most attractive concentration for the parasitoid, and Treatment 5 (control) as the least attractive. Treatment 3 also yielded the most significant effect on the parasitization of the Trichogramma japonicum. Thus, the researchers conclude that Coleus amboinicus extract,...
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...Publication No. 4963 Date Published: January 2000 Prepared for the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Office of Transportation Technologies EB 52 03 00 0 and Office of Utility Technologies EB 24 04 00 0 Prepared by the OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6422 managed by LOCKHEED MARTIN ENERGY RESEARCH CORP. for the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY under contract DE-AC05-96OR22464 Contents Page Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2. What Is Bamboo? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3. Commercial Applications of Various Bamboo Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4. Physiological Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 5. Fuel Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . 5.1 Description of Samples 5.2 Sample Preparation...
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...be beneficial, while others still need improvement. This paper addresses and evaluates five different locations around the lagoon, the various restoration projects at the sites, and what more could be done at each habitat in order to assess the ecological restoration efforts in the UCSB Campus Lagoon area. The sites addressed are the San Nicolas degraded wetlands, Campus Point, the coastal sage scrub, Manzanita Village and the bioswales. Overall, each of the sites have finished going through extensive restoration, with techniques such as solarization and re-introduction of native species. Most of the ecosystems are now returned to their pre-disturbed state, but continued efforts are needed to preserve the locations. 1.0 Introduction: The term “ecological restoration” is generally defined as “the return of an ecosystem to a close approximation of its condition prior to disturbance” (NRC Report, 1992). Although this term is often oversimplified, it includes a complex web of cultural, social and political aspects as well as environmental aspects. Due to its complexity, and in many cases, the many competing jurisdictions involved, it is often hard to make and complete ecological restoration goals. Ecological restoration projects have different goals and objectives depending on the limitations of the projects and the targeted ecosystem. Many restoration projects aim to establish ecosystems by re-introducing native species, while others aim to create or recreate ecosystem services...
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...This process, passed on from the Native Americans to the early settlers, is still quite popular today, and is responsible for one of the few wild foods that can be purchased commercially in most supermarkets. Most people associate syrup with the maple tree, and although much of today’s syrup does originate from the sugar maple, all species of maple can be tapped. Even better, many other trees from other genera can be tapped to extract sap, which ultimately can be turned into delicious syrup. In this post, I won’t be discussing the methods involved in tapping for sugar production. If you are unfamiliar with the process, there are a variety of great websites, videos, and...
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...SAMPLE --- STUDENT WRITING Research Paper When Pets Become Predators What is an owner to do with a pet that has become too aggressive to handle, too expensive to feed or too large to house? This is a question many uneducated exotic pet owner’s face soon after purchasing a juvenile exotic reptile. Unfortunately, for many pet owner’s, the answer is to release the pet into our neighborhoods and parks creating a multitude of problems for homeowner’s, State officials and the environment. Probably the best known pet to become a predator is the Burmese python, also known as the Indian python. Burmese pythons average approximately 13 feet in length, but can grow to over 20 feet. (Indian Python) Their weight may exceed 200 pounds. Most owners begin feeding their juvenile pythons mice, but a snake grows quickly and graduates to rabbits, chickens and eventually pigs. A full grown python requires a cage of at least 8 feet in length. Because a Burmese python has a life expectancy of over 20 years, the potential buyer must carefully evaluate the long term commitment required with this purchase. Another well know pet to predator is the Nile monitor lizard. These lizards average 4 to 6 feet in length, but can soon grow to 7 feet. They are a carnivorous lizard that as a juvenile begins eating crickets, then graduates to gold fish and later to rats and other small animals. When full grown, monitor lizards like the Burmese python, need an enclosure of at least 8 feet, however...
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...not found to influence food intake significantly however there was a trend that smaller quolls consumed more invertebrates than mammals. Data gathered from this study was broadly similar to that gathered from populations of quolls in different geographic locations. As both the quoll and Tasmanian Devil are carnivorous marsupials and previous studies have provided evidence of their similarities, the conclusions from this article could be used in regards to the influence of such factors on Tasmanian Devils given there is limited resources available regarding these animals. Green B, Eberhard I (1979) Energy requirements and sodium and water turnovers in two captive marsupial carnivores: the Tasmanian Devil, Sarcophilus harrisii, and the Native Cat, Dasyurus viverrinus. Australian Journal of Zoology, 27, 1-8. Green and Eberhard investigated the digestive efficiencies and...
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...Essential Oils and Plant Extracts Five-Year R&D Plan 2008 – 2013 RIRDC Shaping the future Essential Oils and Plant Extracts Five-Year R&D Plan 2008 to 2013 May 2008 RIRDC Publication No 08/053 © 2008 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved. ISBN 1 74151 642 0 ISSN 1440-6845 Essential Oils and Plant Extracts R&D Five-Year Plan 2008–2013 Publication No. 08/053 The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable regions. You must not rely on any information contained in this publication without taking specialist advice relevant to your particular circumstances. While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this publication to ensure that information is true and correct, the Commonwealth of Australia gives no assurance as to the accuracy of any information in this publication. The Commonwealth of Australia, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the authors or contributors expressly disclaim, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any act or omission, or for any consequences of any such act or omission, made in reliance on the contents of this publication, whether or not caused by any negligence on the part of the Commonwealth of Australia, RIRDC, the authors or contributors. The Commonwealth of...
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...today is a matter of concern. Your bubonic plague research paper would revolve around the premise of it being a deadly disease, but we assure you that we won’t scare you by the facts. Bubonic plague is typically differentiated from other infections because of its roots in the bacteria, Yersinia pestis or Pastuerella pestis. The bacteria typically infects the spleen, lungs, kidneys and brain. It is spread by virtue of rats and fleas. The staff at ProfEssays.com could as Help with Bubonic Plague Research Paperwell spell out some of its symptoms as shivering chills staggering gait stuttered speech memory loss weakness The early symptoms lead to graver consequences, and the ultimate zenith is reached when the patient ultimately breaths his last. Several deaths were caused by bubonic plague in the 14th century when medical science wasn’t developed as it is today. A nursing and healthcare term paper could focus on the facilities provided to modern healthcare officials that were not available in the 14th century. It killed almost 30 per cent of the contemporary European population. Infection is spread through fleas and rodents. It is a common occurrence to have rodents whenever there are earthquakes or other such calamities. The disease was known as the Black Death. A death essay customised to bubonic plague or any other deadly disease could explain the intricacies associated with bubonic plague. Your bubonic plague research paper could tell you how it was brought to Marseilles...
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