Ecosystem 9632 225588324 2008-07-14T13:07:02Z Closedmouth 372693 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/121.245.186.121|121.245.186.121]] to last version by Mdd (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) [[Image:Nwhi - French Frigate Shoals reef - many fish.jpg| right | thumb | 300px | A [[coral reef]] near the [[Hawaiian islands]] is an example of a complex [[marine ecosystem]].]] An '''ecosystem''' is a natural unit consisting of all plants, animals and micro-organisms ([[biotic]] factors) in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical ([[abiotic]]) factors of the environment.<ref>Robert W. Christopherson (1996). ''Geosystems: An Introduction to Physical Geography''. Prentice Hall Inc.</ref> == Overview == [[Image:Wrangel Island tundra.jpg|thumb|250px|Arctic tundra on [[Wrangel Island]], Russia.]] [[Image:Baja California Desert.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Flora of Baja California Desert, Cataviña region, [[Mexico]].]] [[Image:Male lion on savanna.jpg|thumb|250px|Savanna at [[Ngorongoro Conservation Area]], [[Tanzania]].]] [[Image:Daintree Rainforest.JPG|thumb|250px|The [[Daintree Rainforest]] in [[Queensland]], [[Australia]]. ]] The term ecosystem was coined in [[1930]] by [[Roy Clapham]], to denote the physical and biological components of an environment considered in relation to each other as a unit. British ecologist [[Arthur Tansley]] later refined the term, describing it as "The whole system,… including not only the organism-complex, but also the whole complex of physical factors forming what we call the environment".<ref>A.G. Tansley (1935). "The use and abuse of vegetational terms and concepts". In: ''Ecology'' Vol 16 pp.284-307.</ref> Tansely later defined the spatial extent of ecosystems using the term "[[ecotope]]" in 1939. Central to the ecosystem concept is the idea that [[living organism]]s are continually engaged in a set of relationships with every other element constituting the [[environment (biophysical)|environment]] in which they exist. Eugene Odum, one of the founders of the science of ecology, stated: "Any unit that includes all of the organisms (ie: the "community") in a given area interacting with the physical environment so that a flow of energy leads to clearly defined trophic structure, biotic diversity, and material cycles (ie: exchange of materials between living and nonliving parts) within the system is an ecosystem."<ref>Odum EP (1971) Fundamentals of ecology, third edition, Saunders New York</ref> The human ecosystem concept is then grounded in the deconstruction of the human/nature [[dichotomy]], and the emergent premise that all species are ecologically integrated with each other, as well as with the abiotic constituents of their [[biotope]]. Ecosystems can be bounded and discussed with tremendous variety of scope, and describe any situation where there is relationship between organisms and their environment. A system as small as a household or university, or as large as a nation state, may then be suitably discussed as a [[human ecosystem]]. While they may be bounded and individually discussed, (human) ecosystems do not exist independently, but interact in a complex web of human and ecological relationships connecting all (human) ecosystems to make up the [[biosphere]]. As virtually no surface of the earth today is free of human contact, all ecosystems can be more accurately considered as human ecosystems. === Examples === Examples of ecosystem include: <div style="-moz-column-count:4; column-count:4;"> *[[Aquatic ecosystem]] *[[Chaparral]] *[[Coral reef]] *[[Desert]] *[[Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem]] *[[Human ecosystem]] *[[Large marine ecosystem]] *[[Littoral zone]] *[[Marine ecosystem]] *[[Rainforest]] *[[Savanna]] *[[Subsurface Lithoautotrophic Microbial Ecosystem]] *[[Taiga]] *[[Tundra]] *[[Urban ecosystem]] </div> == Ecosystem topics == === Classification === Ecosystems have become particularly important politically, since the [[Convention on Biological Diversity]] (CBD) - ratified by more than 175 countries - defines "the protection of ecosystems, natural habitats and the maintenance of viable populations of species in natural surroundings" as one of the binding commitments of the ratifying countries. This has created the political necessity to spatially identify ecosystems and somehow distinguish among them. The CBD defines an "ecosystem" as a "dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit". With the need of protecting ecosystems, the political need arose to describe and identify them within a reasonable time and cost-effectively. Vreugdenhil et al. argued that this could be achieved most effectively by using a physiognomic-ecological classification system, as ecosystems are easily recognizable in the field as well as on satellite images. They argued that the structure and seasonality of the associated vegetation, complemented with ecological data (such as elevation, humidity, drainage, salinity of water and characteristics of water bodies), are each determining modifiers that separate partially distinct sets of species. This is true not only for plant species, but also for species of animals, fungi and bacteria. The degree of ecosystem distinction is subject to the physiognomic modifiers that can be identified on an image and/or in the field. Where necessary, specific fauna elements can be added, such as periodic concentrations of animals and the distribution of [[coral reef]]s. Several physiognomic-ecological classification systems are available: Physiognomic-Ecological Classification of Plant Formations of the Earth (a system based on the 1974 work of Mueller-Dombois and [[Heinz Ellenberg]], and developed by [[UNESCO]]), and the Land Cover Classification System (LCCS), developed by the [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] (FAO). Several aquatic classification systems are available, and an effort is being made by the [[United States Geological Survey]] (USGS) and the [[Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network]] (IABIN) to design a complete ecosystem classification system that will cover both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. === Ecosystem services === [[Ecosystem services]] are “fundamental life-support services upon which human civilization depends,”<sup>i</sup> and can be direct or indirect. Example of direct ecosystem services are: [[pollination]], [[wood]], [[erosion]] prevention etc. Indirect services could be considered [[climate]] moderation, [[nutrient cycle]]s, detoxifying natural substances and many more. === Ecosystem legal rights === The borough of [[Tamaqua]], [[Pennsylvania]] passed a law giving ecosystems legal rights. The ordinance establishes that the municipal government or any [[Tamaqua]] resident can file a lawsuit on behalf of the local ecosystem.<ref>[http://www.celdf.org/PressReleases/TamaquaLawRecognizesRightsofNature/tabid/367/Default.aspx Tamaqua Law Recognizes Rights of Nature<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Other townships, such as Rush, followed suit and passed their own laws.<ref>[http://www.celdf.org/PressReleases/RushTownshipStripsSludgeCorporationRights/tabid/369/Default.aspx Rush Township Strips Sludge Corporation "Rights"<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This is part of a growing body of legal opinion proposing '[[wild law]]'. [[Wild law]], a term coined by [[Cormac Cullinan]] (a lawyer based in South Africa), would cover birds and animals, rivers and deserts.<ref> http://www.celdf.org/News/WildLawTheGuardianUnlimited/tabid/398/Default.aspx]<br> http://environment.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,2049023,00.html]</ref> === Function and biodiversity === From an anthropological point of view, many people see ecosystems as production units that of goods and services. Among some of the most common goods produced by ecosystems, is wood by forest ecosystems and grass for cattle by natural grasslands. Meat from wild animals, often referred to as bush meat in Africa, has proven to be extremely successful under well-controlled management schemes in South Africa and Kenya. Much less successful has been the discovery and commercialization of substances of wild organism for pharmaceutical purposes. Services derived from ecosystems are referred to as ecosystem services. They may include (1) facilitating the enjoyment of nature, which may generate many forms of income and employment in the tourism sector, often referred to as eco-tourisms, (2) water retention, thus facilitating a more evenly distributed release of water, (3) soil protection, open-air laboratory for scientific research, etc. A greater degree of species diversity or biological diversity - popularly referred to as [[Biodiversity]] - of an ecosystem may contribute to greater resilience of an ecosystem, because there are more species present at a location to respond to a factor of change and thus "absorb" or reduce its effects, thus reducing the effect before its structure is fundamentally changed to a different state. This is not universally the case and there is no proven relationship between the species diversity of an ecosystem and its ability to provide goods and services on a sustainable level: Humid tropical forest produce very little goods and direct services and are extremely vulnerable to change, while many temperate forests readily grow back to their previous state of development within a lifetime after felling or a forest fire. Some grasslands have been exploited sustainably for thousands of years (Mongolia, Africa, European peat and mooreland communities). == The study of ecosystems == === Ecosystem dynamics === Introduction of new elements, whether [[biotic]] or [[abiotic]], into an ecosystem tend to have a disruptive effect. In some cases, this can lead to ecological collapse or "trophic cascading" and the death of many species belonging to the ecosystem in question. Under this deterministic vision, the abstract notion of ecological health attempts to measure the robustness and recovery capacity for an ecosystem; i.e. how far the ecosystem is away from its steady state. Often, however, ecosystems have the ability to rebound from a disruptive agent. The difference between collapse or a gentle rebound is determined by two factors -- the [[toxicity]] of the introduced element and the [[resilience (ecology)|resiliency]] of the original ecosystem. Ecosystems are primarily governed by stochastic (chance) events, the reactions they provoke on non-living materials and the responses by organisms to the conditions surrounding them. Thus, an ecosystem results from the sum of myriad individual responses of organisms to stimuli from non-living and living elements in the environment. The presence or absence of populations merely depends on reproductive and dispersal success, and population levels fluctuate in response to stochastic events. As the number of species in an ecosystem is higher, the number of stimuli is also higher. Since the beginning of life, in this vision, organisms have survived continuous change through natural selection of successful feeding, reproductive and dispersal behavior. Through natural selection the planet's species have continuously adapted to change through variation in their biological composition and distribution. Mathematically it can be demonstrated that greater numbers of different interacting factors tend to dampen fluctuations in each of the individual factors. Given the great diversity among organisms on earth, most of the time, ecosystems only changed very gradually, as some species would disappear while others would move in. Locally, sub-populations continuously go extinct, to be replaced later through dispersal of other sub-populations. Stochastists do recognize that certain intrinsic regulating mechanisms occur in nature. Feedback and response mechanisms at the species level regulate population levels, most notably through territorial behaviour. Andrewatha and Birch (1954) suggest that territorial behaviour tends to keep populations at levels where food supply is not a limiting factor. Hence, stochastists see territorial behaviour as a regulatory mechanism at the species level but not at the ecosystem level. Thus, in their vision, ecosystems are not regulated by feedback and response mechanisms from the (eco)system itself and there is no such thing as a balance of nature. If ecosystems are indeed governed primarily by stochastic processes, they may be somewhat more resilient to sudden change, as each species would respond individually. In the absence of a balance of nature, the species composition of ecosystems would undergo shifts that would depend on the nature of the change, but entire ecological collapse would probably be less frequently occurring events. The [[Theoretical ecology|theoretical ecologist]] [[Robert Ulanowicz]] has used [[information theory]] tools to describe the structure of ecosystems, emphasizing mutual information (correlations) in studied systems. Drawing on this methodology, and prior observations of complex ecosystems, Ulanowicz depicts approaches to determining the stress levels on ecosystems, and predicting system reactions to defined types of alteration in their settings (such as increased or reduced energy flow, and [[eutrophication]].<ref>Robert Ulanowicz (1997). ''Ecology, the Ascendant Perspective''. Columbia Univ. Press. ISBN 0-23-110828-1.</ref> See also [[Relational order theories]], as to fundamentals of life organization. === Ecosystem ecology === [[Ecosystem ecology]] is the integrated study of [[Life|biotic]] and [[abiotic]] components of [[ecosystem]]s and their interactions within an ecosystem framework. This [[science]] examines how ecosystems work and relates this to their components such as [[chemical]]s, [[bedrock]], [[soil]], [[plants]], and [[animals]]. Ecosystem ecology examines physical and biological structure and examines how these ecosystem characteristics interact]] The relationship between systems ecology and ecosystem ecology is complex. Much of systems ecology can be considered a subset of ecosystem ecology. Ecosystem ecology also utilizes methods that have little to do with the holistic approach of systems ecology. However, systems ecology more actively considers external influences such as economics that usually fall outside the bounds of ecosystem ecology. Whereas ecosystem ecology can be defined as the scientific study of ecosystems, systems ecology is more of a particular approach to the study of ecological systems and phenomena that interact with these systems. === Systems ecology === [[Systems ecology]] is an interdisciplinary field of [[ecology]], taking a [[holism|holistic]] approach to the study of ecological systems, especially [[ecosystem]]s. Systems ecology can be seen as an application of [[general systems theory]] to ecology. Central to the systems ecology approach is the idea that an ecosystem is a [[complex system]] exhibiting [[emergent]] properties. Systems ecology focuses on interactions and transactions within and between biological and ecological systems, and is especially concerned with the way the functioning of ecosystems can be influenced by human interventions. It uses and extends concepts from [[thermodynamics]] and develops other macroscopic descriptions of complex systems. === The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment === In 2005, the largest ever assessment<ref>http://www.maweb.org</ref> of the earth's ecosystems was conducted by a research team of over 1,000 scientists. The findings of the assessment were published in the multi volume [[Millennium Ecosystem Assessment]], which concluded that in the past 50 years humans have altered the earth's ecosystems more than any other time in our history. == See also == {{multicol}} *[[Biodiversity Action Plan]] *[[Biogeochemical cycle]] *[[Biome]] *[[Biosphere]] *[[Biosphere 2]] *[[Ecological economics]] *[[Ecological yield]] {{multicol-break}} *[[Ecoregion]] *[[Ecosystem diversity]] *[[Ecosystem ecology]] *[[Ecosystem engineer]] *[[Ecosystem model]] *[[Ecosystem services]] *[[Ecosystem valuation]] {{multicol-break}} *[[Ecotope]] *[[Edge effect]] *[[Eugene Odum]] *[[Food chain]] *[[Invasive species]] *[[Landscape ecology]] *[[Leaf]] {{multicol-end}} ==References== <references /> == Further reading == * Andrewartha, H.G., and L.C. Birch. 1954. The distribution and abundance of animals. Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. * Boer, P.J. den, and J. Reddingius. 1996. Regulation and stabilization paradigms in population ecology. Population and Community Biology Series 16. Chapman and Hall, New York. 397 pg. * Ecological Society of America, [http://www.esa.org/teaching_learning/pdfDocs/ecosystemservices.pdf Ecosytem Services], Ecological Society of America. 25 May 2007 * Ehrlich, Paul; Walker, Brian “Rivets and Redundancy”.BioScience.vol.48.no.5. May 1998. pp. 387. American Institute of Biological Sciences. * Grime, J.P. "Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function: The Debate Deepens." Science Vol. 277. no. 533029 Aug 1997 pp. 1260 - 1261. 25 May 2007 * Groom , Martha J., and Gary K. Meffe. Principles of Conservation Biology. 3. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc, 2006. * Lawton, John H., ''What Do Species Do in Ecosystems?''], Oikos, December, 1994. vol.71,no.3. * Lindeman, R.L. 1942. The trophic-dynamic aspect of ecology. ''Ecology'' '''23''': 399-418. * Ranganathan, J & Irwin, F. (2007, May 7). Restoring Nature's Capital: An Action Agenda to Sustain Ecosystem Services * Patten, B.C. 1959. An Introduction to the Cybernetics of the Ecosystem: The Trophic-Dynamic Aspect. ''Ecology'' 40, no. 2.: 221-231. * Tansley, A.G. 1935. The use and abuse of vegetational concepts and terms. ''Ecology'' '''16''': 284-307. * Tansley, A.G. 1939. The British Islands and their Vegetation. Volume 1 of 2. University Press, Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. 484 pg. * Vreugdenhil, D., Terborgh, J., Cleef, A.M., Sinitsyn, M., Boere, G.C., Archaga, V.L., Prins, H.H.T., 2003, Comprehensive Protected Areas System Composition and Monitoring, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. 106 pg. ==External links== {{commons|Category:Ecosystems}} * [http://www.barrameda.com.ar/ecology/the-ecosystem.htm The Ecosystem] * [http://www.beringclimate.noaa.gov Bering Sea Climate and Ecosystem: current status] * [http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/detect/ Arctic Climate and Ecosystem: current status] * [http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/index.aspx Millennium Ecosystem Assessment] (2005) * [http://www.ericdigests.org/2004-1/ecosystems.htm Teaching about Ecosystems] * [http://www.heinzctr.org/ecosystems The State of the Nation's Ecosystems (U.S.)] * [http://www.esa.org/teaching_learning/pdfDocs/ecosystemservices.pdf Ecosystem Services] * [http://www.ecotron.cnrs.fr/html/en/home/indexen.htm ECOTRON] {{Nature nav}} {{Systems}} [[Category:Ecosystems| ]] [[Category:Biological systems]] [[Category:Superorganisms]] [[Category:Sustainability]] [[Category:Symbiosis]] [[Category:Systems ecology]] [[af:Ekostelsel]] [[ar:نظام بيئي]] [[bs:Ekosistem]] [[br:Ekosistem]] [[bg:Екосистема]] [[ca:Ecosistema]] [[cs:Ekosystém]] [[cy:Ecosystem]] [[da:Økosystem]] [[de:Ökosystem]] [[et:Ökosüsteem]] [[el:Οικοσύστημα]] [[es:Ecosistema]] [[eo:Ekologia sistemo]] [[eu:Ekosistema]] [[fa:اکوسیستم]] [[fr:Écosystème]] [[gl:Ecosistema]] [[ko:생태계]] [[hr:Ekosustav]] [[io:Biocirkumaro]] [[id:Ekosistem]] [[is:Vistkerfi]] [[it:Ecosistema]] [[he:מערכת אקולוגית]] [[lv:Ekosistēma]] [[lt:Ekosistema]] [[nl:Ecosysteem]] [[ja:生態系]] [[no:Økosystem]] [[nn:Økosystem]] [[oc:Ecosistèma]] [[pl:Ekosystem]] [[pt:Ecossistema]] [[ro:Ecosistem]] [[ru:Экосистема]] [[simple:Ecosystem]] [[sk:Ekosystém]] [[sl:Ekosistem]] [[sr:Екосистем]] [[fi:Ekosysteemi]] [[sv:Ekosystem]] [[ta:சூழ்நிலைமண்டலம்]] [[th:ระบบนิเวศ]] [[vi:Hệ sinh thái]] [[tr:Ekosistem]] [[uk:Екосистема]] [[zh-yue:生態系統]] [[zh:生态系统]]