Ecosystem
Effects of Human Behavior on Ecosystem

Humans often have the ability to remake an ecosystem entirely, disturbing every aspect of it to the extent that the ecosystem can be changed so much that it is destroyed. This paper examines one ecosystem that has been significantly damaged by human behavior and then projects what future human behavior might bring to this environment.

The ecosystem that I will examine is that of the Owens Valley in central California. This area has been the subject of a number of studies about environmental change (and harm) as well as decades of political rancor. This last is an essential part of the discussion about the fate of many ecosystems, and one that is too often ignored when assessing environmental change. In the case of the Owens Valley, the political climate of California must be considered a key element of the environment.

The abiotic feature of Owens Valley include…...

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References

Erie, S.P. (2006). Beyond Chinatown: The Metropolitan Water District, Growth, and the Environment in Southern California. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press.

Prather, M. (Winter 2008). Owens Lake is coming back to wildlife. Rainshadow Newsletter (Owens Valley Committee) 4(2).

Reisner, M. (1993). Cadillac Desert. New York: Penguin USA.

Ecosystem Structure, Function and Change
Lake Tahoe is located in Sierra Nevada and is a freshwater lake over 1600 feet deep and one of the largest lakes in America. The lake is at the heart of a comprehensive ecosystem and home to a range of native species and contains a rich aquatic life. For example, the lake is home to redside dace, suckers and chub. "The ecosystem of the Lake Tahoe Basin has been dramatically altered since European settlers began to settle around the lake in the middle of the last century. Human disturbances, including introduced species, fire suppression, past overgrazing and logging, urbanization, roads, intensive recreational use, and air pollution, have affected not only the clarity of the lake, but the forest's ability to maintain the function, diversity, and resiliency of its components" (Tahoecam.com). Deforestation at the end of the 19th century, along with other issues such as drought, thinning…...

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References

ENS. (2010, August 17). Lake Tahoe Summit Gets It: Healthy Ecosystem Equals Healthy

Economy. Retrieved June 5, 2012, from Ens-newswire.com: http://www.ens-

newswire.com/ens/aug2010/2010-08-17-091.html

Fimrite, P. (2011, August 17). Lake Tahoe: Smallmouth Bass Threatens Native Fish. Retrieved June 5, 2012, from sfgate.com:  http://www.sfgate.com/cgi -

Ecosystem
Perception and how it relates to the Ecosystem

Upper Saline atershed (Surf Your atershed, N.d.)

Our local watershed is such an essential part of our everyday living. However, most people take their water for granted and assume that some else is taking care of that problem. Yet, this is not always the case. Many watersheds throughout the United States are at risk for different types of contamination. In our local watershed, mercury and phosphorus are something of a concern.

The purpose of this experiment was to see what the local population thought about their water. Survey questions were designed to measure their perceptions of the local water quality and other relevant factors.

Methodology

A total of fifty surveys were mailed out but only seventeen were returned representing a response rate of just over a third of the entire population surveyed. The provided method of survey participation was through random sampling. The main focus of the…...

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Works Cited

Surf Your Watershed. (N.d.). Upper Saline Watershed -- 08040203. Retrieved from EPA:  http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/huc.cfm?huc_code=08040203

ecosystem" is used frequently in the popular media, and yet most people do not have a clear, working definition of an ecosystem. An ecosystem simply refers to all of the organisms and their physical environment that exist within a certain, specific area. This includes all plants, animals, and their environment, which can include water, dirt, rocks, and the air that surrounds them. For example, all of the organisms that live in a New England tide pool, plus their physical environment would make up an ecosystem. In addition, a deciduous forest and a salt pond marsh are also ecosystems.
A biosphere is an aggregate of many ecosystems rather than a single ecosystem. The biosphere is made up of the entire portion of the earth that supports life. It encompasses many communities and ecosystems.

In the simplest terms, the biosphere is the surface of the earth, and all the organisms contained within. A…...

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Works Cited

Campbell, N.A. Biology, 3rd ed. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc., Redwood City, California, 1993.

Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest
Major structural and functional dynamics of the ecosystem

The area that is currently known as Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest was originally farmland. The Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest today is dotted with cemeteries and abandoned homesteads, remnants of how it was used in the past. However, in the 1930s, soil erosion was rife and the land had been largely overtaken by indigenous pine trees. The federal government purchased the land, as part of an effort to rehabilitate it (Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest, 2013, Virginia Department of Forestry). The federal government returned the land back to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1954. The forest now spans 19,808 acres (Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest, 2013, Virginia Department of Forestry). It is a popular site for horseback riding, camping, hiking, and other leisure activities as well as a preserve for various types of trees.

Human effects on the biogeochemical cycles in that ecosystem

Over-farming had a negative impact upon the…...

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References

Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest. (2013). Virginia Department of Forestry. Retrieved:

http://www.dof.virginia.gov/stforest/list/absf.htm

Matter cycles and pollution. (2012). Lenntech. Retrieved:

 http://www.lenntech.com/matter-cycles-pollution.htm

ecosystem, which is a biological environment made up of various organisms, whether living or not, physical constituents which life forms interact with, for example, soil, water, and sunlight. Environmental homeostasis is achieved with the presence of various insects and critters in the ecosystem. This paper will delve into the role wasps' play as biological pest control, nesting habits, and various methods to control the population.
A majority of wasps are parasitic or known as parasitoids, so they prey on insects that would otherwise destroy and eat crops, which makes them advantageous in agriculture. Parasites like wasps lay one or more eggs on the host's exterior or interior body. Wasps are able to conduct such an act by feeding on the pest during their larval stage thus enhancing biological control, which was what Tylianakis (2010) noted in his study that researched biodiversity and biological control services. In another study led by…...

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References

Bianchi, F., & Wackers, F. (2008). Effects of flower attractiveness and nectar availability in field margins on biological control by parasitoids. Biological Control, 46(3), 400-408.

Grantham, R., & Wright, R. (2004, November 19). Paper Wasps, Yellowjackets, and Other Stinging Wasps. OSU-Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Retrieved April 25, 2011, from  http://www.osuextra.com 

Philips, C., Baird, D., Iline, I., McNeill, M., Proffitt, J., Goldson, S., et al. (2008). East meets west: adaptive evolution of an insect introduced for biological control . Journal of Applied Ecology, 45, 948-956.

Rondon, S., Clough, G., & Corp, M. (n.d.). How to identify, scout, and control insect pests in vegetable crops. ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University. Retrieved April 25, 2011, from  http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/handle/1957/19902

Business Ecosystem
The concept of a "business ecosystem" sprung from the idea and eventual development of a business environment that is dependent on entities and organizations outside of the business' structure and systems. It is also inevitably linked with Internet and computer technologies (ICT), as information sharing is the core from which the business and its network of organizations/entities collaborate and work together (Iansiti and Levien, 2004, p. 3). From the same authors Iansiti and Levien (2004), an explanation of the process of linkages among organizations define the nature of a business ecosystem: "…the destiny of many organizations is linked together, and interaction between firms has become an increasingly critical and complex phenomenon, sharing elements of both cooperation and competition through a rich network of interrelated products, services, and technologies" (p. 4). Thus, a business ecosystem defines and illustrates how a business thrives and manages to be competitive in the market…...

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References

Iansiti, M. And R. Levien. (2004). "Framing operating and technology strategy in a business ecosystem." Proceedings of eBusiness Research Forum.

____. (2004). "Strategy as Ecology." Harvard Business Review.

Peltoniemi, M. And E. Vuori. (2004). "Business ecosystem as the new approach to complex adaptive business environments." Harvard Business School (Working Paper).

However even if they are readily available with time the reserves will be depleted and this will pose as a challenge not only to the forest ecosystem but also the energy demands. On the other hand the use of renewable source of energy is beneficial since they are environmental friendly. The renewable energy sources also have some risks such as the use of hydro projects can affect forest ecosystems if their impacts are not mitigated.
3) Species extinction

In the forest ecosystems plants and animals are increasingly extinct in the present times. This can be attributed to both natural and man-made reasons. The major cause of this extinction is the destruction of the forest ecosystem for instance through clearing of forest land for cultivation, urbanization or harvest wood. This will lead to shrinking of habitats for both animals and plants in the ecosystem (Hogan, 2010), The existence of biodiversity is very…...

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References

Hogan, M.C. (2010).Causes of extinction. Retrieved March 18, 2013 from  http://www.eoearth.org/article/Causes_of_extinction?topic=58074 

Callahan, R.(2011). Pros & Cons of Nonrenewable Energy Sources.Retrieved march 18,2013 from  http://www.livestrong.com/article/204578-pros-cons-of-nonrenewable-energy-sources/

Oganizational Ecosystem Case Study:
Business Ecosystem:

Business ecosystem is a stategic planning famewok though which an oganization's stakeholdes wok though coopeation and competition to enhance poducts' sales. The main stakeholdes included in this famewok ae supplies, distibutos, and customes. In some cases, business ecosystem is consideed as a netwok of intelinked fims that includes supplies and distibutos who wok togethe towads supplying o hamonizing the main components of value poposition. The value popositions ae mainly centeed on poviding benefits fo customes though the poducts and/o sevices.

The development of an oganizational system that is centeed on a coe poduct usually enhances the value of the poduct to the use, which in tun contibutes to inceased use of the poduct. Notably, business ecosystems contibute to the emegence of stong enty baies fo new competitos since they can only enhance o duplicate the existing coe poduct in the maket. Moeove, the new entants must compete…...

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references, which are incorporated in the production processes. Third, an ecosystem provides the basis through which core products are developed in ways that they increase value to the user and increase the scope of usage.

However, the disadvantages functioning in an ecosystem with regards to innovation and creativity include the fact that an organization's production processes are sometimes limited to the existing core products. In essence, a firm is sometimes forced to consider developing its products to either duplicate or enhance the existing core products. This implies that all product development initiatives of an organization are based on existing core products instead of creativity and innovation. Secondly, an ecosystem makes it difficult for an organization to improve value propositions for users of its products. This is primarily because some users determine the value of their products in comparison with the value of core products.

Local Ecology
My local ecosystem can be characterized as high desert. The environment is thus characterized by both aridity and altitude. There is a relatively low amount of rainfall, and a lot of sunshine. The temperature swings between night and day are substantial, as much as 30-40 degrees. As a result, the flora consists of desert plants like chamiso, pinon trees, juniper and ample sage. Urban areas may have trees planted, but they are relatively sparse except around water sources. The local fauna include coyotes, rabbits, small birds, and the occasional bird of prey. The mountains are at present covered in a thin layer of snow, but the ground at lower elevations is bare. Because the snowfall sticks on the mountains there are more trees there, until the elevation gets too high and the trees begin to thin out. Right now, the arroyos are bare but in spring they can contain…...

endangered coral reef ecosystem. Coral reefs, when they are healthy, are one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. They contain so much life and interaction many scientists call them the "rainforests of the seas." Yet these reefs are endangered around the world, and their ecosystems are changing because of pollution, mismanagement of the natural resources, and the influence of man on the fragile environments of the coral reefs.
Coral reefs are found in most tropical zones around Earth. They can only survive in certain conditions, for example, they must have an annual water temperature of at least 74 degrees Fahrenheit, and they typically do best in shallow water, where sunlight can reach and photosynthesize the plants (Ekman 4-6). The sun is the major source of energy for these ecosystems, it provides energy for plankton, plants, and algae to survive, and these are all necessary foods for the many…...

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References

Agardy, Tundi. "America's Coral Reefs: Awash with Problems; Government Must Acknowledge the Magnitude of the Crisis and Fully Engage the Scientific and Conservation Communities in Efforts to Solve It." Issues in Science and Technology Wntr 2004: 35+.

Chepesiuk, Ron. "Stressed Reefs May Get Relief." Environmental Health Perspectives 108.9 (2000).

Ekman, Sven. Zoogeography of the Sea. Trans. Palmer, Elizabeth. London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1953.

One of the most fascinating features of the Orono and other bogs is the way they are formed over the course of thousands of years. As with many bogs, the Orono was initially created by a melted glacier. The sea encroached upon the glacial waters, creating a "layer of silt and clay" at the bottom ("Bog FAQs"). Gradually the climate grew wetter and wetter, and the area became waterlogged ("Bog FAQs"). The flood plain enabled the growth of wetland plants. hen those plants died, their remains would become compressed in the water, which when built up turned into peat. Peat is basically comprised of undecomposed plants. The thicker the peat, the slower the rate of decomposition for the plants within it. Peat is too thick for air or oxygen to penetrate, slowing decomposition and preventing the growth of new vegetation. According to the Orono Bog eb site, "thousands of generations…...

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Works Cited

"Bog FAQs." Orono Bog Walk. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from  http://www.oronobogwalk.org/faqs.htm 

Class notes.

EPA. Aquatic Biodiversity: Types of wetlands. 2009. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from  http://www.epa.gov/bioiweb1/aquatic/types.html

Threats to Ecosystem: Cause and Solution
There are various threats to the marine ecosystem. Three of the most common are:

(a) Pollution from point and nonpoint sources; (b) Overexploitation of marine stocks that can deplete marine animals; and (c) Global climactic and oceanographic events that contribute to sea level rise, coastal erosion, storm, and intensified sea temperature

Pollution

Pollution, as threat to the marine system, stems from point and non-point sources. A major source is plastic where plastic impacts the marine system by as much as 90-95% in some areas. Some areas of the ocean are completed y saturated by plastic (forming into piles called 'gyres'), and often mistaken for food by marine animals such as turtles, small feeders, and sea birds. A large percent of them have plastic in their guts causing their digestive systems to be blocked with the stuff and for them to starve. Plastic also acts as carrier for…...

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References

CSIRO. Climate change effects on marine ecosystems report www.csiro.au/resources/ps2yd.html

Save Our Seas Foundation: Pollution saveourseas.com/threats/pollution

The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) www.fao.org/sof/sofia/index_en.htm

Local Ecosystem
The last remaining pieces of what used to be the American wilderness are slowly but surely being erased from the country's landscape. In the very few remaining natural and unaltered locations, many wild animals live which have been hunted to near-extinction in other parts of the country. In the not so long ago time, in the time before settlement from American pioneers, the entire nation was a vast wilderness. However, as the population increased in the United States and the American men moved further west, more of the natural wilderness was cut down and turned first into small villages and then larger cosmopolitan cities. In destroying these areas, humanity has only harmed itself. Many valuable resources like the creation of oxygen and the production of clean water occurs in wilderness locations (Farquhar 1965,-page 239). Natural locations like the Grand Canyon or the Sierra Nevada Mountains have been designated as…...

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Works Cited:

"Community Ecology." (2011). Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

 http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/nchome.shtml 

Farquhar, Francis Peloubet. (1965). History of the Sierra Nevada. University of California:

Berkeley, CA.

Carbon cycles through the ecosystem between the atmosphere, organisms (such as producers, herbivores, and carnivores) and decomposers. This natural cycle maintains a somewhat constant level of carbon in the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon into the cycle that has been trapped inside the earth. How does this affect the cycle and what problems can this cause?
The two main processes of the carbon cycle are photosynthesis and metabolism. Plants and animals consume and express carbon dioxide in relatively equal measure. Human beings affect this fragile process by releasing fossil fuels into the atmosphere which produces surplus carbon. Those who support the concept of global warming argue that these surplus carbons, along with other greenhouse gases, are increasing the temperature of the planet (Kasting 1998).

Carbon naturally is in balance between released and stored materials. As carbon is released by the burning of fossil fuels, the locations for storage are…...

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Works Cited:

"Cell Division: Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction." (2010).

 http://www2.estrellamountain.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobookmeiosis.html 

Escobedo, Yadeeh (2005). "Mitosis and Meiosis."

http://biology.unm.edu/ccouncil/Biology_201/Homework/Examples/Mitosis%20and%20Meiosis.pdf

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Marina pollution is a significant problem that is only increasing as the popularity of boating and water sports increase.  Here are some PhD thesis topics about marina pollution to consider:

The impact of headwater emptying on marina pollution levels and whether the presence of readily available waste disposal stations helps reduce those pollution levels.  A secondary question to consider would be whether the fees associated with those waste stations impacts how much they are used, for example do free waste disposal stations help decrease marina pollution?

How parking lot runoff impacts marina pollution and can this impact be lessened....

Adventure tourism refers to international or domestic travel that involves traveling to a remote location in order to take part in physically challenging outdoor activities.  While many people think of daredevil type activities when they think of adventure tourism, adventure tourism does not require risky activities.  Any activity that is physically challenging and occurs outdoors can qualify, so milder activities like hiking, backpacking, zip lining, rafting, biking, skiing, snowboarding, or snorkeling would all fall under the adventure tourism umbrella. Of course, adventure tourism also includes high-risk activities like swimming with sharks.  However,....