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Ocean Ecosystem Article
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A Terrestrial Ecosystem is a functioning community of plant and animal life that exists away from an aquatic environment.
from:A terrestrial ecosystem relates to the specific environment that contains a specific diversity of plant and animal life. The terrestrial ecosystem includes the living and non living influences, from flora, fauna and fungi to the influences of their surroundings. Without being immersed in water, the terrestrial ecosystem is concerned with the way in which species of plants and animals and insects survive away from the water. Things such as humidity, elevation, salinity, and drainage will impact on the conditions of the living organisms right down to bacteria.
The terrestrial ecosystem will involve the interaction between all the species that inhabit the area, even if they only move through the area on a seasonal basis. The physiognomic-ecological classification system has been implemented to identify ecosystems in order to help protect them. The classification system takes into account all the living organisms and how they interact with the non living organisms and the overall environmental conditions the ecosystem exists within and whether it is an aquatic ecosystem or a terrestrial ecosystem.
The living organisms in any terrestrial ecosystem will include the larger animals, mammals, insects, plants, and fungi right through to the smallest bacteria and moulds. The environment and non living aspect of the terrestrial ecosystem include the landscape, from the formation and types of rocks, soils, underlying water table, climate, elevation, exposure and location.
In the study of a terrestrial ecosystem the number and condition of the living organisms will help in forming a classification for the type of ecosystem. The location of the landscape will also effect the terrestrial ecosystems classification. There are many types of terrestrial ecosystem. A desert landscape with its flora and fauna, the grassland and the mountain landscape all are individual terrestrial ecosystems. Human interaction affects many terrestrial ecosystems and must be taken into account in the protection of the environment.
As with any environmental factors effecting life on earth, studies of any given terrestrial ecosystem will include the life cycle of the trees, grasses, fungi and moulds. Each living species within the terrestrial ecosystem must be taken into account. To study a terrestrial ecosystem the interaction between species and their environment and the unique conditions must be explored. Every terrestrial ecosystem has a climate, culture, environmental impact and symbiotic relationship between living and non living organisms. It is this relationship and the number and diversity of the life forms involved that give an ecosystem its unique value in our world.
A terrestrial ecosystem exists within its own parameters but outside influence can impact upon the species and landforms involved. A terrestrial ecosystem may vary from one side of a mountain to the other, from one part of a stream to another. Any change in soil type, drainage, salinity or even human encroachment can change the whole ecosystem. They are delicate and balanced in nature, and many will not stand the impact of change.
Ocean Ecosystem Specific links
Ocean Ecosystem News
Toxic tsunami debris will flood Alaska shores - Anchorage Daily News
 NEWS.com.au | Toxic tsunami debris will flood Alaska shores Anchorage Daily News If only 1% of that reaches Alaska's shores, 30 million pounds of largely plastic and toxic debris will flood our sensitive inter-tidal ecosystem. Our predictions are that Alaska will receive closer to 15 to 20% of the debris over a period of years. Toxic tsunami debris will flood Alaska's shores Help with first wave of tsunami debris |
New study by WHOI scientists provides baseline measurements of carbon in ... - environmentalresearchweb
New study by WHOI scientists provides baseline measurements of carbon in ... environmentalresearchweb Where carbon is coming from, which organisms are using it, how they're giving off carbon themselves – these things say a lot about how an ocean ecosystem works," says David Griffith, the lead author on the study. "If warming temperatures perturb the ... Climate: study sets baseline on Arctic Ocean carbon cycle |
Dear Shell: Please Be Honest About Risks from Your Arctic Ocean Oil Drilling ... - Huffington Post
 New York Times | Dear Shell: Please Be Honest About Risks from Your Arctic Ocean Oil Drilling ... Huffington Post In the event of a spill, Shell commits to not argue that lack of baseline scientific information for the Arctic Ocean ecosystem precludes or limits a reasonable assessment of, and compensation for, natural resource damage, including environmental ... Why Shell is betting billions to drill for oil in Alaska |
Global Study: Seagrasses Can Store More Carbon Than Forests - University of Virginia
 ZME Science | Global Study: Seagrasses Can Store More Carbon Than Forests University of Virginia The paper, "Seagrass Ecosystems as a Globally Significant Carbon Stock," is the first global analysis of carbon stored in seagrasses and demonstrates that coastal seagrass beds can store up to 83000 metric tons of carbon per square kilometer, ... Seagrass on ocean coasts can store twice as much carbon as tropical ... Seagrass beds store 20 billion tons of carbon Seagrass meadows are key carbon sinks for combatting climate change |
Protect forage fish, cornerstone of our ocean's food web - The Seattle Times
 The Seattle Times | Protect forage fish, cornerstone of our ocean's food web The Seattle Times Fortunately, the council will also consider the need to better protect the little fish that form the linchpin of a healthy and productive coastal ecosystem. A new report by a group of leading marine scientists — including two researchers from the ... |