What is ecosystem discuss the characteristics functions of an ecosystem

(Edit)"In practice, it is impossible to pinpoint the moment when this happened. But in theory, at some trace, two junglefowl bred along with offspring was genetically different enough from the species of its parents classified as chicken. This chicken would have developed within a junglefowl egg and only produced the very first chicken’s egg on reaching maturity. Looking at it this way, the chicken came first."

Pankaj Trivedi, ... Brajesh K. Singh, in Soil Carbon Storage, 2018 1.5Soil Organic Carbon is a Major Driver of Ecosystem Services Ecosystem functions include the physicochemical and biological processes that occur within the ecosystem to maintain terrestrial life. Ecosystem services are the set of ecosystem functions that are directly linked to benefit human well-being ( Kremen, 2005). Soil organic C regulates most ecosystem services including provisioning, supporting, regulating, and cultural services ( Fig. 1.3). These ecosystem services can be broadly categorized as: (1) Provisioning services—SOM serves as the basis for food and fiber production via influencing soil structure, nutrient and water availability; (2) Regulatory services—SOM reduces soil erosion, water run-off, and attenuation of toxic pollutants, and regulates climate change via offsetting greenhouse gas emissions; (3) Supporting services—the formation and breakdown of SOM, which can influence soil characteristics such as soil fertility and soil biodiversity; and (4) Cultural services—SOM influences the soil to retain diverse cultures of the past, the nature of the landscape and preserve archeological remains ( Banwart et al., 2014a,b). Kaj Sand-Jensen, in Encyclopedia of Biodiversity (Second Edition), 2013 Biological Consequences of Acidification Acidification up to 1980 initiated complex chemical and biological changes in surface waters and catchments with poorly weathered rocks and thin soils. The acidif...

Despite several pieces of research about life on other planets, it has come to a conclusion that Earth is the one and only planet where living organisms are found. Survival requires specific forms of atmospheres, land formations, and ecosystems that only Earth comprises. Each continent on this planet includes a desert and comprises its own ecology, better referred to as the desert ecosystem. The word desert is a largely barren, dry and abandoned land without flora or fauna in the sand. It might be cold and hot. The Desert is the most dried area on the planet that gets negligible precipitation on an annual basis. It receives less rainfall throughout the year. So, the desert ecosystem is the planet’s driest ecosystem, and thus, it has less diversity of life and little vegetation. Being a part of the terrestrial ecosystem, it houses animals and plants that can live in harsh weather conditions. The desert ecosystem is devoid of any precipitation and rainfall. So, the desert ecosystem is a community of non-living and living organisms living and interacting with each other in an abandoned environment. It’s the interaction between Abiotic and Biotic Components of this environment. If you are searching for the desert ecosystem PDF, read on to learn further about its features. Characteristics of Desert Ecosystem Here are the characteristics of desert ecosystem: • Less Rainfall or Precipitation Less precipitation is a significant desert feature and the reason behind its dryness. Des...

• Login • Category • Academic Tutorials • Big Data & Analytics • Computer Programming • Computer Science • Databases • DevOps • Digital Marketing • Engineering Tutorials • Exams Syllabus • Famous Monuments • GATE Exams • Latest Technologies • Machine Learning • Mainframe Development • Management Tutorials • Mathematics Tutorials • Microsoft Technologies • Misc tutorials • Mobile Development • Java Technologies • Python Technologies • SAP Tutorials • Programming Scripts • Selected Reading • Software Quality • Soft Skills • Telecom Tutorials • UPSC IAS Exams • Web Development • Sports Tutorials • XML Technologies • Multi-Language • Interview Questions The functional attributes of the ecosystem keep the components running together. Ecosystem functions are natural processes or exchange of energy that take place in various plant and animal communities of different biomes of the world. For instance, green leaves prepare food and roots absorb nutrients from the soil, herbivores feed on the leaves and the roots and in turn serve as food for the carnivores. Decomposers execute the functions of breaking down complex organic materials into simple inorganic products, which are used by the producers. Fundamentally, ecosystem functions are exchange of energy and nutrients in the food chain. These exchanges sustain plant and animal life on the planet as well as the decomposition of organic matter and the production of biomass. All these functions of the ecosystem take place through delic...

What makes an ecosystem tick? Understanding how ecosystems function is critical to ensuring they can still provide the same ecosystem services to humans: protecting homes from floods, filtering pollution, or providing habitat for fish, crabs and other wildlife. SERC researchers use two approaches to determine how an ecosystem behaves: the zoomed-in field of functional ecology and the big-picture field of ecosystem function. Functional ecology investigates the different roles species play in their environments. It zeroes in on species traits—the special features or abilities that set species apart. For example, many plants have evolved defensive traits to protect them from hungry insects or deer. Nicotine in tobacco, caffeine in coffee, or the sharp spines on holly leaves all can help a plant avoid being eaten. As another example, black mangroves can tolerate colder weather than red or white mangroves, so they are able to advance farther north along the east coast of the U.S. Functional ecology looks at the different niches species carve out for themselves in their environments and how those niches can change over time. Some species have such a large imprint on the way their ecosystems operate that scientists refer to them as ecosystem engineers! Using a more birds-eye view, ecosystem function looks at the combination of all processes in an ecosystem and how they work together. Ecosystem functions include not just individual species, but all the biological and physical inte...