Principles of terrestrial ecosystem ecology (original) (raw)
Related papers
Ecology and Ecosystem: Sustainability
2019
The term "ecology" (bioecology; bionomics; environmental biology; economy of nature) is derived from ancient Greek; oikos means "household, house, or place to live" (Smith and Pimm 2007) and logos "speech, word, reason" (Dictionary Merriam-Webster 2018). Ecology is focused on the distribution and abundance of organisms, the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment, and structure and function of ecosystems (Begon et al. 2006; Maastik et al. 2004; Schulze et al. 2005). Ecology includes subdisciplines such as autecology, population ecology, chemical ecology, evolutionary ecology, physiological ecology, plant ecology, aquatic ecology, applied ecology, paleoecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, landscape ecology, and global ecology. It attempts to synthesize understanding from interactions between organisms (biotic components) and between organisms and their physical environments (abiotic components), and from the interplay between both of these (Biology dictionary 2016). An ecosystem is a dynamic complex of organisms (plant, animal, and microorganism), their communities, and their physical environments (air, water, and mineral soil) interacting as a functional unit (Maastik et al. 2004). The biotic and abiotic components interact through nutrient cycles and energy flows (Begon et al. 2006). Ecosystems can be of any size but each ecosystem has a specific, limited space (Schulze et al. 2005). Some scientists view the entire planet as one ecosystem (Likens 1992; Hugget 2017). The ecosystem approach is fundamental to managing Earth's resources because it addresses the interactions that link biotic systems, of which people are an integral part, with the abiotic systems on which they depend (Chapin et al. 2011).
Ecology (from the Greek oikos meaning "house" or "dwelling", and logos meaning "discourse") is the study of the interactions of organisms with each other and their environment. The hierarchy. Define each of the following. species ~ population ~ community ~ ecosystem ~ biosphere Ecology is a SCIENCE, not a sociopolitical movement (e.g., environmentalism). The Ecologist engages in the hypothetico-deductive method to pose questions and devise testable hypotheses about ecosystems. Often, this involves the generation of complex mathematical models to simulate ecosystems. These models represent idealized systems to which real systems can be compared for their predictive value. Sometimes, when a very large scale project is logistically impossible to perform, a computer model is used to predict expected results.
Definition and Etymology of Ecology Ecology is the science which tries to understand how interactions between organisms and their environment happen. Ecology is the study of the relationships and interactions of living things with one another and with their external environment. Ecology comes from the Greek word oikos, which means "house" and logos which means "study." II.
A commentary-The Ecosystem Approach in the 21st Century: Guiding science and management
Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 2020
Ecosystems are complex, dynamic and integrated natural systems that produce goods and services to society and have substantial intrinsic value. An ecosystem approach accounts for the interrelationships among air, water, land, and all living things, including humans, and involves all user groups in comprehensive management. Ecosystem approaches are frequently designed for a particular place and a particular set of stakeholders. As such, they are frequently referred to as locally-designed ecosystem approaches. We now have over 40 years of experience in applying an ecosystem approach in both science and management. It is time to take stock of where this approach originated, where we are now in terms of its application, and what is its future direction. We will be convening a two-day conference titled "The Ecosystem Approach in the 21st Century: Guiding Science and Management" in the fall of 2022 at the
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the non-living components of their environment, interacting as a system.These biotic and abiotic components are regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. As ecosystems are defined by the network of interactions among organisms, and between organisms and their environment, they can come in any size but usually encompass specific, limited spaces although some scientists say that the entire planet is an ecosystem.Energy, water, nitrogen and soil minerals are other essential abiotic components of an ecosystem. The energy that flows through ecosystems is obtained primarily from the sun. It generally enters the system through photosynthesis. By feeding on plants and on one another, animals play an important role in the movement of matter and energy through the system.By breaking down dead organic matter,decomposers release carbon in to the atmosphere and facilitate nutrient cycling by converting nutrients stored in dead biomass back to a form readily used by plantsand other microbes. Ecosystems are controlled both by external factors such as climate and some internal factors. They control the overall structure of an ecosystem and the way things work within it, but are not themselves influenced by the ecosystem.Other external factors include time and potential biota. Ecosystems are subject to disturbances and are in the process of recovering from past disturbances.Ecosystems in similar environments that are located in different parts of the world can have very different characteristics simply because they contain different species. Internal factors not only control ecosystem processes but are also controlled by them and are often subject to feedback loops.While the resource inputs are generally controlled by external processes like climate and parent material, the availability of these resources within the ecosystem is controlled by internal factors like decomposition, root competition or shading. Biodiversity affects ecosystem function. Ecosystems provide a variety of goods and services upon which people depend. Classifying ecosystems into ecologicallyhomogeneous units is an important step towards effective ecosystem management, but there is no single, agreed-upon way to do this. AQUATIC ECOSYTEM An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in a body of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems.