Ecosystem diversity

Two views of the Earth from space.
The Earth has many diverse ecosystems and ecosystem diversity. These are NASA composite images of the Earth: 2001 (left), 2002 (right), titled The Blue Marble.

Ecosystem diversity deals with the variations in ecosystems within a geographical location and its overall impact on human existence and the environment.

Ecological diversity is a type of biodiversity. It is the variation in the ecosystems found in a region or the variation in ecosystems over the whole planet. Ecological diversity includes the variation in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Ecological diversity can also take into account the variation in the complexity of a biological community, including the number of different niches, the number of trophic levels and other ecological processes. An example of ecological diversity on a global scale would be the variation in ecosystems, such as deserts, forests, grasslands, wetlands and oceans. Ecological diversity is the largest scale of biodiversity, and within each ecosystem, there is a great deal of both species and genetic diversity.[1][2][3][4]

Impact

Diversity in the ecosystem is significant to human existence for a variety of reasons. Ecosystem diversity boosts the availability of oxygen via the process of photosynthesis amongst plant organisms domiciled in the habitat. Diversity In an aquatic environment helps in the purification of water by plant varieties for use by humans. Diversity increases plant varieties which serves as a good source for medicines and herbs for human use. A lack of diversity in the ecosystem produces an opposite result.[5]

Examples

Some examples of ecosystems that are rich in diversity are:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cunningham, Margaret. "What is Biodiversity? - Definition and Relation to Ecosystem Stability". study.com. DSST Environment & Humanity: Study Guide & Test Prep. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  2. ↑ Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, eds. (2009). "Ecosystems". Environmental Science: In context. In Context Series. 1. Detroit: Gale. pp. 242–246. ISBN 978-1-4103-3754-2. OCLC 277051356.
  3. ↑ Purdy, Elizabeth (2012). "Ecosystems". In S. George Philander. Encyclopedia of Global Warming & Climate Change. 1 (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference. pp. 485–487. doi:10.4135/9781452218564. ISBN 978-1-4129-9261-9 – via Gale Virtual Reference Library.
  4. ↑ Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, eds. (2009). "Ecosystem Diversity". Environmental Science: In Context. In Context Series. 1. Detroit: Gale. pp. 239–241. ISBN 978-1-4103-3754-2. OCLC 277051356.
  5. ↑ Naveh, Z. (1994-09-01). "From Biodiversity to Ecodiversity: A Landscape-Ecology Approach to Conservation and Restoration". Restoration Ecology. 2 (3): 180–189. doi:10.1111/j.1526-100x.1994.tb00065.x. ISSN 1526-100X.


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