Select an ecosystem in your area (forest, lake, desert, grassland). Write a 525-

Question

Select an ecosystem in your area (forest, lake, desert, grassland).

Write a 525- to 700-word paper explaining the following:

1) Describe the structure of your ecosystem including important abiotic features and dominant plant and animal species.
2) Explain some functions/processes of your ecosystem including one nutrient cycle and one food chain.
3) Give two examples of species interactions (predation, competition, mutualism, etc.) that occur in your ecosystem.
4) Identify an invasive species in your ecosystem. Explain its effects on the ecosystem and efforts to control or eradicate it.

Include two outside references.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Explanation / Answer

1. The forest ecosystem consists of various biotic and abiotic components. The most important biotic components of biotic system is the forests itself which is mainly oak trees. Other important biotic components are shrubs, flowering plants, lichens, mosses, worms, insects like flies, mosquitoes, mammals, birds like peacock, squirrels parrot, woodpecker, kingfisher etc., reptiles like lizards, snakes, microbes and the worms. Whereas the abiotic system consists of sunlight, temperature, rock, soil, minerals, water, air.

2. Nutrients are important in growth and survival of the plants and animals. Some of the essential nutrients which are required in large quantities are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium,hydrogen, carbon,oxygen, calcium. Some other nutrients which are required in minute quantities also known as micronutrients are boron, chlorine, manganese, iron, copper, zinc etc. Nutrient cycling is the exchange of nurtients between the plants and the living organisms in forest ecosystem. The nutient cycling depends on various factors like climate, abiotic components like sunlights, topography, rock etc and the biotic communities. The nutrient cycling process includes uptake of nutrients, storage of nutrients in the plant tissues, production of litter, decomposition of the litter, conversion of these nutrients by the flora and fauna of the ecosystem, input of nutrients from the atmosphere and through the process by weathering, nutrients transport from the soil through the process of leaching and in the gaseous form. Each of the elements has a unique biogeochemical cycle eg. the carbon is uptake by the plants from the atmosphere.

The food chain of the forest ecosystem is mainly divided into producers, consumers and the decomposers. Plants are the producers which make their own food with the help of photosynthesis. Consumers are the animals which directly or indirectly depends on plants for their food. The herbivorous animals like deer, sheep, cows they eat the green plants as their food. The carnivorous animals like lion, tiger, wolf eat these animals as their food. The decomposers eg. bacteria, crabs, earthworms eat the dead remains of these organisms and helps in decomposing these wastes into the soil again. Thus a food cycle is completed.

3. The predation is the an interaction of living organisms in which the predator depends on its food from its prey usually by killing them. Example of predation in a forest is the relation between the spider and the insect where spider is the predator and prey is the insect. Mutualism is the interaction between the living organisms in the arrangement in which both the organisms are getting benefits from it. The common example of mutualism is the relation between the bird oxpecker and the rhinoceros. The bird eats all the insects and the bugs present on the skin of the rhinoceros and the rhinoceros getting free from these parasites. Also when in case of a danger the bird flies high and the alerts the nearby animals from the danger of the predator.

4.Invasive species are those species which are not native to the ecosystem and are generally brought through ships, vehicles, wood, lumber etc. These species are very harmful for the ecosystem since they multiply so rapidly in the ecosystem by ultilising all the nutrients and destroying the native species. Example of invase species is emerald ash borer is a forest pest which was brought from Asia to the Ontario. It has destroyed millions of ash trees in Ontario. To control it we must take some precautionary measures like do not bring the infested log to the other new places, do not move the firewood, burn it from where it was bought and identify signs of pest infestation so to control it as soon as possible eg thinning of the premature colouring of the leaves, wilted leaves etc. Also pest control sprays can be used.

References:

http://nofc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/bookstore_pdfs/26204.pdf

http://examples.yourdictionary.com/mutualism-examples.html

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