Structure and Functions of Ecosystems
The environment has two basic components: Biotic and Abiotic. The biotic components of an ecosystem are living beings—plants, animals, and…
The environment has two basic components: Biotic and Abiotic. The biotic components of an ecosystem are living beings—plants, animals, and…
Consumers too utilize some energy in their metabolic processes. Under these conditions some energy escapes away in the form of their body heat and some energy is wasted through excretory matter from their bodies. The rest of the energy goes into the atmosphere when top consumer dies and its body is decomposed.
About 1000J radiant energy comes to the earth from the sun. Out of this, only 10% of the total energy is used up by green plants in the process of Photosynthesis. Remaining 990J of energy escapes away into the atmosphere. 10J of energy is stored in the form of chemical energy in starch and sugars.
Sun is the only source of energy in the biosphere. Every living being can get its share of energy through food only and the energy is directly or indirectly obtained from green plants only.
With the growth of human population, more and more land was cleared for cultivation, housing and cattle rearing. Later, as towns and cities started developing, vast areas of land were started to be consumed in making roads, rail tracks, bridges, buildings, markets, trade centres, Educational and Research Centres, hospitals, railway junctions, etc.
Land management is the process of managing the use and development of land resources in rural and urban areas. Land resources are used for a variety of purposes which may include organic agriculture, reforestation, water resource management and eco-tourism projects.
Land resources are used for a variety of purposes which may include organic agriculture, reforestation, water resource management and eco-tourism projects. In all these areas land use is needed to be sustainable.
Species become endangered due to both natural and anthropogenic causes. Since man has no control over natural causes, we should consider anthropogenic causes only. Anthropological causes may be classified into two fundamental categories: Direct Causes and Indirect or underlying causes.
The predominant features that create structural complexity in the environment, such as plants or animals are called as a habitat.
A process, in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the plants and animals occupying it, is named as Habitat destruction. In the process of habitat destruction, plants and animals that previously used the place are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity.
The population explosions of earlier and present days have already caused and are still causing serious impacts on the global environment. As for the biological environment, the human population has stressed most biological systems, comprising flora and fauna, as well as biological diversity.