What is ecosystem explain the utility of forest ecosystem

  1. Importance of Forests
  2. Roles of Forests – SEEDS
  3. Structure, Function, Types, Units of Ecosystem
  4. Ecosystem Connections
  5. Forest Ecosystem and Biodiversity Definitions
  6. Ecosystem services


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Importance of Forests

Why forests are important for people Have you had breakfast today? Sat on a chair? Written in a notebook? Blown your nose into a tissue? Forest products are a vital part of our daily lives in more ways than we can imagine, from obvious paper and wood products, to the by-products used in medicines, cosmetics and detergents. Over Forests help Human health is inextricably linked to forest health. Deforestation has serious consequences on the health of people directly dependent on forests, as well as those living in cities and towns, as it increases the risk of diseases crossing over from animals to humans. Meanwhile, time spent in forests has been shown to have a positive benefit on conditions including cardiovascular disease, respiratory concerns, diabetes and mental health. Why forests matter for nature As forests are home to over 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, When we take away the forest, it is not just the trees that go. The entire ecosystem begins to fall apart, with dire consequences for all of us. Forests provide habitats for plants and animals, including some of our planet’s most iconic species like the tiger, giant panda, gorilla and orangutan. Habitat loss is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, as land that once was forest is cleared for other uses. Forest-dwelling wildlife populations (which include mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians) have Why forests are so important for the climate Forests are the largest storehouses of carbon after the oceans, a...

Roles of Forests – SEEDS

• • • • Although trees are the largest, most productive organisms in forests, the forest ecosystem is much more than a population of trees growing on the land. Forests also provide habitat for a host of other species of plants, along with numerous animals and microorganisms. Most of these associated species cannot live anywhere else; they have an absolute requirement of forested habitat. Often that need is very specific, as when a bird species needs a particular type of forest, in terms of tree species, age, and other conditions. For example, Kirtland’s warbler ( Dendroica kirtlandii) is an endangered species of bird that only nests in stands of jack pine ( Pinus banksiana) of a particular age and density in northern Michigan. This songbird does not breed in any other type of forest, including younger or older stands of jack pine. Similarly, the endangered spotted owl ( Strix occidentalis) only occurs in certain types of old-growth conifer forests in western North America. These same old-growth forests also sustain other species that cannot exist in younger stands, for example, certain species of lichens, mosses, and liverworts. Usually, however, the many species occurring in forests have a broader ecological tolerance, and they may in fact require a mosaic of different habitat types. In eastern North America, for example, white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) do well in a mixture of habitats. They require access to relatively young, successional stands with abundant...

Structure, Function, Types, Units of Ecosystem

The term, the ecosystem was first used in a publication by an ecologist Arthur Tansley in 1935. In the environment, the existence of living things is very dependent on the living and non-living factors around them. All living things, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, depend on non-living substances to survive and maintain the equilibrium of the natural environment. This relationship between the living and nonliving elements is handled by the ecosystem. As a result, we might conclude that the ecosystem is the fundamental unit of nature. What is Ecosystem? An ecosystem is a region where a circle of life is created by plants, animals, and other organisms interacting with the weather, environment, and other factors. In the word “ecosystem”, “eco” means environment, and “system,” which refers to connected processes or elements. Ecosystems are made up of both biotic (or alive) and abiotic (or nonliving) components. Structure of Ecosystem The structure of an ecosystem is made of 2 components known as biotic and abiotic. The organism interacts with both components. The energy is distributed in the environment. The ecosystem includes 2 main components for a working ecosystem are: • Biotic Component • Abiotic Component Also, Read Biotic Components Plants, animals, microorganisms, aquatic plants, and all other living creatures are the biotic components of the ecosystem. These biotic components can be classified into • Producers: All plants that have the ability to produc...

Ecosystem Connections

How Are Ecosystems Related? Nutrients, organisms, water, air, and any of the other parts of ecosystems can move in and out of ecosystems. The boundaries that we can draw around an ecosystem aren't solid walls, but instead allow materials to pass across them. For example, in the ecosystem of your mouth, food, oxygen, and water come in from outside the ecosystem, and these materials also leave the mouth ecosystem when you swallow or exhale. Flows of materials into and out of ecosystems cross boundaries between ecosystems and connect them together. Let's see an example of how many ecosystems can be connected. Salmon, a type of fish, are amazing animals that live in many different ecosystems over the course of their lives. We'll follow salmon on their journey through a diversity of ecosystems. Salmon are born in small stream ecosystems. When they are strong enough, they swim downstream, moving out of small streams and into larger streams and eventually into large rivers. They then move out of freshwater ecosystems, and into estuaries, which have a mix of fresh and saltwater. They may spend a year or two in estuary ecosystems before swimming out to the open ocean, yet another ecosystem. After a couple of years of feeding and growing much larger in the ocean, they retrace their journey back into the same small stream where they were born and then breed and die. In this way, salmon connect streams with the ocean. Young salmon are an export of small stream ecosystems to large rive...

Forest Ecosystem and Biodiversity Definitions

A forest ecosystem is the basic ecologic unit in a particular forest that exists as "home" for a community of both native and introduced classified organisms. A forest ecosystem is named for the primary tree species that form the canopy. It is defined by all the collective living inhabitants of that forest ecosystem that co-exist together in symbiosis to create a unique ecology. Forest Ecology and Biodiversity The word "ecology" comes from the Greek "oikos," meaning "household" or "place to live". These ecosystems or communities are usually self-sustaining. The word "usually" is used because some of these communities can become unbalanced very quickly when detrimental factors occur. Some ecosystems, like tundra, coral reefs, wetlands, and grasslands are very fragile and very small changes can affect their health. Larger ecosystems with wide diversity are much more stable and somewhat resistant to harmful changes. A forest ecosystem community is directly related to species diversity. Generally, you can assume that the more complex the structure, the greater is its species diversity. You should remember that a forest community is much more than just the sum of its trees. A forest is a system that supports interacting units including trees, soil, insects, animals, and man. Management of forests for sustainability is desirable when forest diversity is threatened by overuse, resource exploitation, old age, and poor management. Forest ecosystems can be disrupted and harmed when ...

Ecosystem services

ecosystem services, outputs, conditions, or processes of natural systems that directly or indirectly benefit humans or Because ecosystem services are not usually bought and sold directly in Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), which evaluated the History of concepts and methods The concept of “ecosystem services” emerged during the 1970s and gained increasing recognition in the following decades. However, the idea that natural systems support human bce. Economists in the 18th and 19th centuries recognized the value provided by land and other natural resources as productive assets. Man and Nature (1864) by Methods to characterize the structure and function of natural systems are grounded in centuries of work by natural scientists. Of particular relevance to ecosystem services analysis are modern ecological concepts, models, and methods developed during and after the 20th century. Quantification of ecosystem service values has its foundation in formal economic methods for nonmarket valuation, which have been refined extensively since their initial development by Identification, quantification, and valuation Two The first step in most ecosystem services Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. A common second step in an ecosystem service The third step in an ecosystem service assessment is to determine the consequences for social welfare. This is often conducted by using formal economic valuation methods grounded in neoclassical economic ...