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Science
Landscape Ecology
• An ecosystem’s function depends on the patches and the physical relationships with each other. Various
relationships such as predators, herbivores, and mutualism need all need certain species in close areas. The ability
for an organism to move can have a wide-ranging impact. The biogeochemical processes of an ecosystem can
occur not consistently across an ecosystem.
• To pick the scale in which an ecologist views a habitat, he or she must set goals. The grain, the average patch size,
and extent, the size of the area studied in relation to entire relationship, determine scale. The scale affects what
we see.
• When one patch meets another, an edge forms. The edges between ecosystems have special properties which are
called edge effects. One edge effect is a species diversity. With varying resources and location species diversity is
higher.
• Habitats change as human disturbances. Smaller habitat patches can be difficult to support life. Habitats fragment
as a result of humans ( logging, road building and others ). Habitats fragmenting can result in inbreeding.
Human Ecology
• The impacts humans are having on ecosystems is population growth. There are too many of us for resources
available. Around the start of agriculture the population grew at 0.05%. As the years went on populations grew to
about 7 billion people.
• The field of conservation biology is concerned with decline of biological populations. Mostly, a species’ decline is a
result of fragmentation, land cover conversion, and loss of resources. A biologist has to identify species at risk and
has to identify and solve its potential causes of decline.
• Sustainability of resources requires that do not overuse resources. This forces us to understand ecological
processes such as groundwater recharge. There is a saying-think globally, act locally. This may mean reducing
water use, walking, biking etc. Large changes will be needed to reduce emissions, shift to alternative uses of
energy, and other eco-friendly methods.
• Threats to biodiversity
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Ongoing fishing ,hunting, or gathering over a species' rebound rate is overkill. Overkill can easily threaten a species.
Habitat destruction is a leading cause of species extinction. The primary reason for this is the needed expansion of land for the human population.
Humans have introduced countless species out of their natural range. The few introduced species that do well are superior competitors impact the habitat.
Pollution is present in many ecological systems. In many places can cause psychological stress as well as overloaded nutrient levels and body diseases. There
is land, water, air pollution.
• Global climate change is a very great challenge. The changes we are experiencing today are a result of human activities. The planet’s climate change had
impacted types of organisms. Water shortages are becoming more common. Diseases can spread more rapidly with increased temperatures and there are
more incidences of flooding and drought.