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http://www.msu.edu/~rjstev/EIPP_Intro_2001.htm http://www.msu.edu/~rjstev/Eco_Health_pt1_2001.htm http://www.msu.edu/~rjstev/Eco_Health_pt2_2001.htm What are Ecosystems and Why Do We Need to Protect Them? Points of Emphasis • Ecological Systems are Complex, but Logical • Ecosystems are Dynamic, yet Homeostatic • Ecological Responses to Humans Varies with Duration of Stress • Values of Ecosystems What is an Ecosystem? Group of interacting organisms and the physical and chemical elements in a defined area. Sun Consumers (Animals) Producers (Plants) Moisture Temp Decomposers (Bact.) Abiotic Chemicals (CO2, H2O, O2, NH3) What is an Ecosystem? Group of interacting organisms and the physical and chemical elements in a defined area. Watershed Hydrology & Sourcesheds Routes of Resources and Contamination Nutrients Light Allochthonous Input Algae Grazers Predators CPOM/ FPOM Plants Bact. & Fungi Shredders Collectors Aquatic Ecosystems Allochthonous Input Material Cycling Algae Grazers Nutrients Predators CPOM/ FPOM Plants Bact. & Fungi Shredders Collectors Allochthonous Input Light Energy Cycling Algae Grazers Predators CPOM/ FPOM Plants Heat Energy Bact. & Fungi Shredders Collectors Allochthonous Input Energy Cycling Balance Light GPP = R Algae Grazers Predators GPP CPOM/ FPOM Plants Heat Energy Respiration (R) Bact. & Fungi Shredders Collectors Nutrients Light Allochthonous Input Algae Grazers Predators CPOM/ FPOM Plants Bact. & Fungi Shredders Collectors Nutrients Light Allochthonous Input Algae Grazers Predators CPOM/ FPOM Plants Bact. & Fungi Shredders Collectors Nutrients Light Allochthonous Input Algae Grazers Predators CPOM/ FPOM Plants Bact. & Fungi Shredders Collectors Allochthonous Input Nutrients Light O2 Algae Grazers Predators CPOM/ FPOM Shredders Collectors Plants Bact. & Fungi Bioconcentration of Contaminants (Residues of DDT (ppm) in various trophic levels of an estuary food web) Fish-eating Birds (3.15-75.5) Fish (0.17-2.07) Shrimp (0.16) Mud Snail (0.26) Organic Debris (0.3-13.0) Cladophora (0.03) Clam (0.42) Plankton (0.04) Insects (0.230.3) Marsh Plants (0.33-2.8) Interactions among Organisms and Their Environment • Biotic Interactions – Trophic Interactions (i.e. predator/prey) – Competition • Intraspecific • Interspecific – Disease/Parasitism – Mutualistic Interactions • Abiotic Factors (Limiting factors) – Climate • • • • Temperature Rainfall Day – Length Seasons – Geology • Soils & Water Chemistry • Hydrology • Soil Moisture – Resources • Light • Nutrients – Physical Disturbance Abiotic Regulation (non-resource) of Populations (Species) Metabolism (e.g. growth, reproduction) Range of Tolerance Zone of stress Zone of stress Comp. Level Environmental Gradient (e.g. Temp) Resource Regulation of Populations Metabolism (e.g. growth, reproduction) Range of Tolerance Zone of stress Comp. Level Resource Gradient (Light, N, P, Prey) Population Abundance Carrying Capacity (CC) of Populations CC Time (d, wks, mon, yrs) Population Abundance Carrying Capacity (CC) of Populations CC Time (d, wks, mon, yrs) Interactions Among Land, Streams, Lakes, and Wetlands Land Lakes Streams Wetlands Habitat Functions • Storage and Transformation – (Water, Nutrients, Sediments) – Settling or Biological Uptake and Retention • Transport (Water, Nutrients, Sediments, Biota) • Habitat for Spawning/Breeding • Habitat for Development of Young • Habitat for Adults • Productivity • Support of Diversity • Homeostasis from Interactions Natural Regulatory Factors & Ecoregions Natural Sources of Variability • Primary Factors – Climate (Temp/Rain) – Geology • Secondary Factors – – – – – Hydrologic Variability Soils Temperature Water Chemistry Light • Species Membership • Competition • Predation • Mutualism • Production • Primary Production • Secondary Production • Nutrient and Energy Cycling • Soil fertility • Fisheries productivity