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Terrestrial 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.
Terrestrial Ecosystem Specific links
Terrestrial Ecosystem News
SA's natural habitat under threat: report - Independent Online
 Independent Online | SA's natural habitat under threat: report Independent Online Compiled by the SA National Biodiversity Institute, the report, which is released every seven years, assesses South Africa's biodiversity and ecosystems, covering terrestrial, river, wetland, estuarine, coastal, and marine environments, ... Step up efforts to protect biodiversity - Molewa |
Global Study: Seagrasses Can Store More Carbon Than Forests - University of Virginia
 National Science Foundation | Global Study: Seagrasses Can Store More Carbon Than Forests University of Virginia This study estimates that the destruction of seagrass meadows can potentially cause the release of up to 25 percent as much carbon as from terrestrial deforestation. Seagrasses have long been recognized for their many ecosystem benefits: They filter ... Seagrass Is A Climate Change Hero Seagrasses Storing As Much Carbon As Forests Seagrasses Store as Much Carbon as Forests |
Seagrasses can store twice as much carbon as forests - Times of India
 Responding to Climate Change | Seagrasses can store twice as much carbon as forests Times of India As a comparison, a typical terrestrial forest stores about 30000 metric tons per square kilometer, most of which is in the form of wood. The research also estimates that, although seagrass meadows occupy less than 0.2 percent of the world's oceans, ... Climate change: Seagrasses beat rainforests in carbon storage Seagrasses can store as much carbon as forests Study: Seagrass can combat climate change |
Mountains and oceans: sustaining life on earth - Pakistan Daily Times
 Zee News | Mountains and oceans: sustaining life on earth Pakistan Daily Times Mountains encompass spectacular landscapes and are host to a great diversity of species, a wide variety of terrestrial ecosystems, and distinctive human communities. Oceans cover 70 percent of the planet's surface area with diverse habitats are ... Celebrating Biodiversity |
Indoor Location-Based Services To Be the Next Multi-Billion Dollar Market ... - Sacramento Bee
Indoor Location-Based Services To Be the Next Multi-Billion Dollar Market ... Sacramento Bee ... from Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, to 'terrestrial' GPS, and acoustic or lighting-based solutions. A new Indoor Positioning: Mapping, Technology & Services market research report looks at each of the components of the indoor positioning ecosystem, ... |