Functions and threats to the Ecosystem

Question 1

What are the main functions of an ecosystem?

Answer 1

Ecosystem Functions
* Provide home for diverse plant and animal species by support various food chains and webs.
* Regulate ecological processes and life support.
* Play key role in nutrient cycle.
* Regulate energy flow through Carbon, Nitrogen, and Water cycles.
* Cycles minerals through biosphere.

Question 2

What are the functional units of an ecosystem?

Answer 2

The functional units of an ecosystem are productivity, energy flow, decomposition as well as nutrient cycling.

Question 3

What is the functional unit -
Productivity

Answer 3

Productivity refers to the rate of biomass production.

Question 4

What is the functional unit -
Energy Flow

Answer 4

Energy flow is the process where energy flows from one trophic level to another. The energy captured from the sun flows from composers, to consumers, to decomposers and then back to the environment.

Question 5

What is the functional unit -
Decomposition

Answer 5

Decomposition is the process where dead organic material is broken down. The top-soil is a major site of decomposition.

Question 6

What is the functional unit -
Nutrient Cycling

Answer 6

In an ecosystem nutrients are taken up by various creatures and then recycled back into the environment in different ways.

Question 7

What are the threats to the amazon rainforest?

Answer 7

Human activity is threatening tropical rain forest ecosystems in South America, including the Amazon River, by clearing thousands of acres for farmland, housing, and industry. Countries like Brazil, Venezuela, and Ecuador are underdeveloped, and the clearing of trees benefits poor farmers, providing income, food, education, and better healthcare. This is causing a decline in the Amazon rain forest ecosystems and affecting the health of the region.

The destruction of rain forest ecosystems is causing concerns among scientists as it may hinder the development of modern medicines like curare and quinine, which are derived from these plants.

Rain forest ecosystems result in poor farmland due to thin, nutrient-poor soil like in Amazon rainforests, unlike the Great Plains’ rich soils. Farmers must move to new land after a few crop seasons, leaving an empty ecosystem behind.

Question 8

Give an example of how humans interacted with ecosystems?

Answer 8

For thousands of years, people have interacted with ecosystems, leading to the development of complex cultures. Native American tribes in the Great Plains developed a lifestyle based on native plants and animals. Bison, a large grazing animal, became the most important biotic factor in these cultures, using it for shelter, clothing, food, and tools. Bison herds supported throughout the year by tallgrass, and they are followed by the tribes.