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1 What is an ecosystem?
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An ecosystem consists of a community of living organisms
and their local physical environment. The living and
non-living elements of an ecosystem are connected through
flows of energy and the cycling of chemical elements.
No part of the biosphere that is smaller than an ecosystem
can sustain life.
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2 Is there a difference between a population and a community?
Yes. A population consists of interbreeding
members of one species living in a specific area, more or less
isolated from other members of their species. A community consists
of a collection of populations of different species interacting
within a specific area, functioning more or less as a unit with
certain identifiable characteristics.
3 What is
an example of an ecosystem?
A
forest is a common ecosystem. Forests consist of air, soil,
water, nutrients, and particular species of animals, birds,
insects, microorganisms, trees, and other plant life. If some
of the trees are cut down, each of the other elements will be
affected. Animals and birds may lose their habitats, soil may
erode, nutrients may be displaced, and the flow of waterways
may change.
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What characteristics does an ecosystem have?
Ecosystems
can be looked at in terms of their structure, the processes
that go on within them, or the way they change over time. Every
ecosystem is made up of a set of physical components (soil,
minerals, water, etc.) and a set of populations of different
species. Secondly, energy flows through ecosystems, and chemical
elements cycle within them. Finally, ecosystems go through different
patterns of change over time.
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Why is the ecosystem concept important?
The
concept of an ecosystem is important because it conveys one
of the key insights that we have gained from the science of
ecology, that everything is related to everything else. Everyday
perception tells us that we live in a world composed of distinct
units: trees, rocks, animals, buildings, and so on. Yet all
of these seemingly unconnected fragments are in fact part of
one system; they are interrelated, and this interrelation is
essential for life. Since no piece exists independently of another,
none can be modified without affecting the others. It is this
idea that is behind the term "ecosystem." |
Source:
The Primer on Environmental Citizenship.
Copyright © 2000 Tierramérica.
Todos los Derechos Reservados
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A
community of species./Claudio Contreras |
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