...1. Ecosystems and How They Work - Sustainable Development In this assignment, you will investigate the biotic and abiotic structure and function of an ecosystem. Choose one of the following ecosystems: * Tropical rainforest * Grassland * Coral Reef * Estuary * Desert You will write a two to three page APA-style research paper about your choice of ecosystem including: * Where might this type of ecosystem be located? Give one specific example. * Describe the structure of the ecosystem: List both the abiotic components and biotic components * Describe the function of the ecosystem: How do the abiotic and biotic components interact in biogeochemical cycles? Describe both the carbon and nitrogen cycles * Describe disturbance and recovery: Describe one natural and one human caused disturbance to the ecosystem. Explain the damage to the ecosystem, including how the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the ecosystem changed. * Explain how ecosystems recover naturally ... (More) Ecosystem Definition noun, plural: ecosystems A system that includes all living organisms (biotic factors) in an area as well as its physical environment (abiotic factors) functioning together as a unit. Supplement An ecosystem is made up of plants, animals, microorganisms, soil, rocks, minerals, water sources and the local atmosphere interacting with one another. Word origin: coined in 1930 by Roy Clapham, to denote the physical and biological components...
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...ECOSYSTEMS: TROPICAL RAINFORESTS Kyle Faulkner AIU Online Environmental Science Laura Stepp March 25, 2012 Abstract This article focuses on the rainforest’s and its structure, both biotic and abiotic and the the cycles that gives us the ability to live on this Earth. There are a several different types of biomes that cover the vast surface of our planet, but one in particular is very important. The Tropical Rainforest can be described as a forest of tall trees that is located in areas that receive year-round warmth. 50 to 250 inches of rain fall on these areas on average and almost all Rain Forest are located in the equator region. Tropical Rainforest are extremely important because of the oxygen that they provide to our planet, about 40% and the types of plants that have cured diseases and have helped fight ailments. Sadly, only about 6% remains of the world’s tropical forest due to deforestation (Rainforestsos.org, 2012) Scientists estimate that over half of the world’s species inhabit the Rain Forest and this is why it is so import that this biome remains intact and preserved. The Amazon Rain Forest and the Rainforests in Costa Rica are examples of the biome that shelter thousands of plan t and animals species that have just as much of a right to be on Earth as we do. The structure of the Tropical Rainforest has many layer that shelter both biotic and abiotic forms. The emergent layer is at the very top, even above the canopy and is home to birds, insects, snakes...
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...James Viloria SCI/256 3/27/15 University of Phoenix Environmental Pollution America and the World need population control laws that limit population growth thus conserving and saving water and natural resources. I have read articles from numerous sources that state in the year 2050, 2.7 Billion people will have a severe water shortage problem. Meaning there want be shortage of clean water to drink and shower with. This could be a touchy subject in the United States and in many western civilized worlds where the government steps in and tells them how many kids a family can have and what not. It’s happening this very minute in countries like China and Japan. The only thing that can be done is to regulate immigration reform and restrict a foreign alien’s tenure here in the States. Cars don't always perform well on the road as they do in prototype tests. Smog inspections let motorists know when pollution control devices are malfunctioning and when fuel is being wasted. Repair programs make sure every car is doing its share of the cleanup job Nowadays with increasing the population in the entire world, need of people to transporting vehicles is increased. So, I believe that spite of importance of improving roads and high ways, developing the buses, trains or subways is more critical than ever. Improved roads leave to better fuel efficacy for vehicle, less carbon emissions, and over top performance for newer gas efficient vehicle’s. As mentioned above, with newer gas...
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...resources and energy of the Amazon Rainforest. We will identify some of the impacts associated with agriculture. The effects of growing human population have on the ecosystem. Management practices of sustainability and conservation of natural resources in that ecosystem. Risks and benefits of extracting or using one type of nonrenewable and one type of renewable energy resource from that ecosystem, and we will also assess management practices for sustainability and conservation of natural resources and energy. The Amazon Rainforest is vast and accounts for half of the rainforests in the entire world. The rainforest runs alongside the whole of Amazon River and stretches through nine different countries. The rainforest is over fifty-five million years old. In 2008, the rainforest was proclaimed to be one of the Natural Seven Wonders of the World by the New Seven Wonders of the World Foundation. The rainforest is on the largest recycling unit for converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, 20 percent of the world’s oxygen comes from the Amazon Rainforest. On the fifth of the world’s fresh water supply also comes from the rainforest as well. 25 Percent of Western pharmaceuticals are derived in the rainforest. There are over 50,000 plants, animal, and insect species in the Amazon around 137 of these species die off every year. The ecosystem is vast and vital to the world. Identify Impacts Associated with Agriculture Agriculture in rainforests can be very difficult, mostly due to...
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...1“Describe how climate affects your selected ecosystem?” The tropical rainforest is extremely important to the earth's climate. It affects temperatures worldwide, since as the name suggests, there is a lot of rainfall as a result of the forest's existence. The tropical rainforest aids in maintaining a somewhat stable weather habit and reduced global warming effects. This is why the clearing out of the rainforest has been extremely detrimental to the earth's climate the forest's rainfall helps reduce global warming, and without it, temperatures will continue to increase. The climate of the tropical rainforest itself is typically humid, warm, and the temperature rarely changes from daytime to nighttime. The extreme humidity causes the average rainfall each year to be around 200 cm. This type of warm temperature that ranges anywhere from 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for lush growth and is very supportive of life and growth. The fact that the tropical rainforest supports great growth and life is an extremely important reason for humans to not destroy it. Species continue to become endangered and even extinct, so it is our responsibility to protect their habitat and growth as much as possible, not only for their sake, but for our own too. 2 “Explain, based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics, how energy flows through your selected ecosystem?” The Tropical Rain Forest, nowhere on earth, or ecosystem for that matter, has a richer and more blossoming...
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...What is an ecosystem? Well, an ecosystem includes all living things, such as animals and plants, and non-living things, such as the climate, soil and weather in a given area. Some examples of an ecosystem could be a desert, coral reef, or a rainforest. The ecosystem that has and will still to this day amaze me is the rainforest ecosystem. The rainforest can be characterized by its dense growth of trees in a very wet climate. There are tropical rainforests and temperate rainforests. The largest and in my opinion the most beautiful rainforest is the tropical. The tropical rainforest is home to more species of plants and animals than any of the other ecosystems combined. A tropical rainforest can be located near the equator. This type of rainforest is mainly in Brazil, but can also be found in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and West Africa. On the other hand, temperate rainforest can be found by the coast, the largest being by the Pacific coast of North America. The Daintree rainforest in Australia is by far the most interesting tropical rainforest. It is located north of Australia near Daintree, Queensland by the coast. This rainforest contains 30% of frog, marsupial and reptile species in Australia, and 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species. It also contains 20 % of bird species in the country. In the rainforest there are both abiotic components and biotic components. Abiotic components are the nonliving things, such as ware, air, temperature, wind and the sun....
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...tree is being replanted for every 10 cut down (Iowa Public Television, 1995-2010). Tropical rainforests “cover about 2% of earth’s surface, but house over half of world’s plant and animal species…” (Iowa Public Television, 1995-2010). Rainforests are vanishing quickly off the earth; over half have been destroyed in the last 10 years. While undefined, there are effects on the tropical rainforest based upon growing human population. There are proper management practices for conservation of natural resources but it is still necessary to determine the risks and benefits of extracting energy. Throughout this essay these points will all be discussed. Effects of Human Population Human population growth directly impacts the natural environment, natural resources, and ecosystems. The majority of tropical rainforests are located in moderately developed and developing nations that are experiencing exponential population growth. Wright maintains that 95% of the world’s population growth is occurring in developing nations at a rate of 1.5% annually, adding 75 million in a year (2008). Population growth adds pressures to natural resources as the need for living space, agricultural land and, food supplies increases. The biggest and most devastating effect of population growth in the Tropical Rainforest is deforestation, causing loss of habitat for wild species and irreversible damage to ecosystems. According to Mongabay.Com economic growth in developing nations has only widened...
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...Rainforest Ecosystem Functions Ben Barr, Melodie Ocampo, Marline Pierre, Martha Tejada BSBH/ENV100 October 17, 2011 Wendy Armstrong Rainforest Ecosystem Functions The rain forest can be believed to be a living organism; they are a forest categorized by the amount of rain that falls throughout the year. Rainforest are some of this planet’s most complex ecosystems. “They once covered 14% of the earth's land surface and now they cover a mere 6%” (RainTree, 2010). Nonetheless, more than half of plant and animal species make it their home. It is home to some magnificent creatures and even some unidentified species. The largest part of the plants and animals that exist in the rainforest are endemic, which means they do not live anywhere else in the world. For this paper, Team C will discover the different aspect of the rainforest; also, how it functions within itself. Rainforest Climate The rainforest climate is humid, and has rain most of the time. Michael, (2001),"The sun warms the land and sea and the water evaporates into the air. The warm air can hold a lot of water vapor. As the air rises, it cools. That means it can hold less water vapor” (para. 1). When the warm meets, the cold vapor happens, clouds produced, and clouds make rain. Adapting to the climate the plants make up the underlining of the rainforest. Moreover, the rainforest is hot because of where it is to the equator. In addition, its plant life will die out if the temperature...
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...believed that the Amazon rainforest is one of the largest formulated forests and measures at seven million square kilometers (www.brazil.org.za, 2014). Anacondas, Jaguars, spider monkeys, and sloths live in the Amazon forest. Its rainy or dry seasons can make home for many animals. And can either be extreme wet season or hot. There are many ecosystems in the Amazon rain forest, for example one of the major ecosystems in the Amazon Rain forest is the Amazon River. It runs four thousand miles down the Amazon, and is one hundred and twenty miles wide. The Amazon River is home to anacondas and many other life forms species. However the Amazon River is only the second largest river in the world. The Amazon is home to many indigenous tribes and animals. The climate change in the weather is of concern to people, who take a closer look into the fact that, the Amazon River and the forest itself needs to be preserved. It’s of concern to others, because the weather is unpredictable, which does not give its people enough time or resources to prepare for upcoming floods or extreme droughts. That ruins the plants and land. Another concern is the international involvement. Brazil needs assistance, and cannot control the illegal activities that happen in the Amazon Forest. For example, gang activities and drug trafficking. Environmental can pose great change in the human health in a number of ways. Human interference in the Amazon forest has affected the ecosystem- fresh water, food, timber...
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...Tropical Rainforest Megan L. Cleveland SCI/256 JUNE 14, 2015 Mr. Davis Tropical Rainforest An ecosystem is a unique environment where every living thing is interdependent, and one of the most complex yet most interesting ecosystems in the world will be found in the rainforest. The dark and recessed thick plant growth make it one of the most moist places on Earth. If a person studies the plants and animals that compromise the rainforest ecosystem; a person can gain a basic understanding of why scientists and ecologists alike are concerned about the disappearing tropical jungles. Rain forests have the most complex and species rich ecosystems on Earth. A rain forest biome is very complex; including a myriad of different species or plants and animals that have all adapted to lots of rain. They have different levels of plants; the highest level are full of tall trees and they are for the closed canopy. Vines are the next level, such as orchids and epiphytes that grow high within the trees to reach more sun light. The lowest level belongs to the short trees and small plants, like ferns. At the base of it all is the forest floor; dark but full of life. Rainforests support more than eight thousand kinds of plant within their dense vegetation. Australian rainforests produce flowers that are not found in any other place in this world. At ground level of a rainforest, it is so dark it may seem like dusk at lunchtime because of the layers of leaves blocking the light....
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...economical, and the overall influential importance of the Amazon Rainforest is, in my opinion, a necessity to understanding why deforestation is a huge mistake and will lead to major consequences for the entire planet. Common important facts about why deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest might include issues such as greenhouse gases or entire ecosystems demolished. Geographically, The Amazon Rainforest is by far the biggest rainforest left on our planet (sad to say) proportional to the size of Australia. The rainforest itself reaches out to several countries around Brazil. Economically, the regions of the Amazon Rainforest provide surrounding countries and entire continents with some of the most basic necessities and natural resources. Bananas, papayas, oranges, and pineapples are some of the major food exports out of the Amazon Rainforest regions. Along with food resources, many spices and other natural resources are only found in the Amazon Rainforest regions. Continuing the deforestation in order to use the land for other means of resources would harshly alter the economy of South America entirely and further affect the import/export economy of the United States and others. In addition to its economic influence, the Amazon Rainforest regions have aided advancements in medicine and scientific breakthroughs. Many explorations and scientific research of animal and plant life in the Amazon Rainforest have led to the discovery of cures to many diseases and ailments...
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...The Amazon rainforest is home to many living animals that are facing consequences made by the various groups interested in the resources of the rainforest. One of the many groups that are interested in the rainforest is environmentalist. They want to protect the rainforest because of the resources that could be found and used for everyday life. Because of this, the most appropriate way to address land conflict is to slow down the development and protect unknown species because the environmentalist needs to preserve the rainforest. Environmentalist needs to slow down and protect the development of rainforest. Environmentalist wants to preserve the land and its species so they can further study the unknown that could be or is in the Amazon....
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...1 Tropical Rainforest Unit 1 Individual Project Rosella Fyffe Jane Knapp 3-31-2013 2 Introduction I will be discussing the Tropical Rainforest, and writing about the abiotic components, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and the ecosystem function and structure. Also discussing the disturbance and how natural can bounce back after these types of disturbance. 3 Tropical Rainforest The ecosystem of the Tropical Rainforest is a community of living organisms such as plants, animals and microbes in conjunctions with the nonliving components of their environment such as air, water and mineral soil, interacting as a system. (http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem.com) Ecosystems are controlled both by external and internal factors. The external factors such as climate, this is the material which forms the soil and topography, and control the overall structure of an ecosystem and the way things work with in it. Other external factors are time, potential biota. The internal factors not only control ecosystem processes but are also controlled by them and are often subject to feedback loops. The resource inputs are generally controlled by external processes like climate and parent material. (http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem.com) The ecosystem processes, is when the energy and carbon enter ecosystems through photosynthesis, are incorporated into living tissue, transferred to other organisms. The biotic and abiotic components are regarded as linked together...
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...Phase 1 Individual Project SCI201-1403A-12 Environmental Science and Sustainability July 10, 2014 Trena Woolridge Just to keep the theme going from the discussion board 2 assignment I decided to research and write about the Tropical Rainforest. I have always found the world’s rainforests to be very interesting with all of their secrets they hold inside of them. By doing this paper it will allow me to discover more in-depth information on the Tropical Rainforests. I wonder what all I will discover? There are many rainforests in the world but can be found only in three major geographical areas around the world. The one that stands out the most to me is the Tropical Rainforest in Central America in the Amazon Basin from the previous assignment I researched. Others are located in Africa, Australia, and Assam to name a few. Tropical Rainforests are made up of large trees, exotic wildlife, and thousands of species of plants. The structure of the Tropical Rainforest is very complex but can be simple to understand when broken down into sections. The rainforest can be divided into layers from top to bottom and can get a better understanding of the Tropical Rainforest as a whole. The different layers are: emergent, the canopy, the understory, and the leaf litter or cryptoshere or also known as the ground. Emergent are the larger, taller trees that stick out above the canopy. They can be 20-100 feet above the canopy and endures strong winds, temperature fluctuations, and damaging...
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...ENV/100 October 29, 2012 Shelby Barker Rainforest Rainforest covers about 6% of the earth's surface and is one of the most diverse ecosystems. Influencing how energy flows through this ecosystem is the fact that most f the plants living mass is above ground. There are plenty of cycle in the rainforest that make sure the flow of energy and nutrients through this ecosystem is continual. Photosynthesis is the process which energy is harnessed from the sun and used along with carbon dioxide and water to produce energy and food. This allows plants to provide food for the wildlife by distributing the energy. This cycle is completed when plants and animals die and decompose, making nutrients such as, carbon dioxide again. The rainforest has four layers that energy flows through. The ground level is the most heavily impacted in terms of how it adapts to shadowy conditions, which in term affects its impact on photosynthesis. Essential, in the flow of energy on the ground level through decomposing are fungi and earthworms. The cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and oxygen contribute to the transportation of matter along with other bioactive elements that are linked to animal life, plants, and bacterial life in this region. These cycles are associated with water, soil, and seasonal energy fluxes. This ecosystem has a surprising level of sophistication, the animal life, plants and bacterial life use to adapt to their surroundings to conserve and access nutrients. Due to the organisms...
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