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Chapter 6 Ecosystems and Ecosystem Management Basic Characteristics of Ecosystems Sustained life on Earth is a characteristic of ecosystems, not of individual organisms or populations Structure: Living (Ecological Communities) Non-living Processes Cycling of chemical elements
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Chapter 6 Ecosystems and Ecosystem Management Botkin and Keller Environmental Science 5e
Basic Characteristics of Ecosystems • Sustained life on Earth is a characteristic of ecosystems, not of individual organisms or populations • Structure: • Living (Ecological Communities) • Non-living • Processes • Cycling of chemical elements • Flow of energy • Change (Succession) Botkin and Keller Environmental Science 5e
Ecological Communities and Food Chains • Ecological Communities are defined in 2 ways: • 1. A set of interacting species that occur in the same place • Food chains, food webs, trophic levels (autotrophs) • A set of species found in one area Botkin and Keller Environmental Science 5e
Food Chains and Food Webs • A Terrestrial Food Chain • 4 trophic levels: • Autotrophs • Herbivores • Carnivores • Decomposers • People are omnivores • An Oceanic Food Chain • The Food Web of the Harp Seal Botkin and Keller Environmental Science 5e
The Community Effect • Species interact directly and indirectly • Community-level interactions • Keystone species • Have large effects on it’s community or ecosystem • Its removal changes the basic nature of the community • Holistic View Botkin and Keller Environmental Science 5e