Springbrook National Park is located in the Gold Coast Hinterland, 100km from Queensland’s capital, Brisbane. The area rises 100m above sea level, to form a panoramic view that dominates the Gold Coast skyline. The area is home to variety wildlife, cool and subtropical rainforests, mountain streams, waterfalls and gorges. Rainforest are the most complex and species-rich ecosystems on Earth and are home to a multitude of different species of animals and plants that are adapted to that environment. Ecosystems are communities of living organisms, interacting as a system, in conjunction with non-living organisms. There are essentially two types of ecosystems: aquatic and terrestrial. Aquatic ecosystems are ecosystems situated in a body of water that include water qualities and aquatic fauna and flora. Aquatic ecosystems are classified into Marine and Freshwater. Terrestrial ecosystems are essentially ecosystems that are not found in a body of water or heavily saturated places. These ecosystems are further …show more content…
classified into: forest, desert, grassland and mountain ecosystems. Forest ecosystems are ecosystems that have a richness of flora, plants and organisms.
Because it has a large number of organisms living in a relatively small place, it increases the density of living organisms in one area. Minimal or significant impacts to these ecosystems could affect the balance of the area, effectively ruining the whole ecosystem. The ecosystems evaluated in this report are: Cool Temperature, Warm Temperature and Sub-Tropical rainforests. Abiotic factors of the environment are the non-living chemical and physical components in an environment. These components include light, temperature, atmospheric gases and other non-living factors. Abiotic factors affect living organisms and the functioning of living organisms or biotic factors. Biotic factors are the living components that shape an ecosystem. The biotic factors are living organisms including: producers, consumers and decomposers like trees and shrubs, herbivores and carnivores and
fungi. In cool temperature rainforests the forest structure is simple with two to three dominant tree species. The rainforest does not have excessive growth nor does it have average growth. This is a result of the low temperatures, limited sunlight and high altitudes. Because the temperature of the rainforest is around 10-12°C, the photosynthesis rate slows down, effectively slowing down the rate of respiration. This limits the plants growth resulting in small leaves and only 1-2 layers. Basalt soil, a biotic factor is often sulphur deficient, non-arable but high in natural fertility. Sulphur deficiencies can cause concerns to plants heath and their loss of strength. The soils lack of sulphur and arable factors have caused defects to the plants. Warm temperature rainforests have higher availability to their necessities to growth healthily. Temperatures reach 27°C, encouraging respiration and photosynthesis in plants. Plants like palms, ground ferns and mosses have habituated to live in these conditions. Because the rate of respiration is higher than in cool temperate forests, the leaves on the plants are medium to large sizes, providing information of how healthy the plant and ecosystem are.
Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to investigate the various components of different ecosystems in a smaller representation and study the conditions required for the ecosystem’s sustainability as well as the connections between
A main theme presented in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe is that Montresor shows obsession with the murder of fortunato. This is exemplified by Montresor’s precise planning, carefulness and slowness of speed in the process.
Life is colorful and adventurous, especially if you belong to the military life style. Belonging to the military community for nearly two decades has given me a different outlook on each place we end up. Outdoor enthusiasts, like most military families are, make Colorado Springs a desirable duty stationed. The perfect location Colorado Springs has. The weather offers many clear, beautiful days, allowing Colorado Springs to be a playground to enjoy most of the year round. Many points of interest and vacation sights that can be done in or around Colorado Springs make it a favorite in the military community.
This trip starts from Denver, Colorado to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. “Natural landform” is the main theme for this trip. I will explore the mystery of geothermal features in Yellowstone National Park.
The ecosystem I have chosen is tropical rainforest. In the following paragraphs, I am going to firstly introduced the structure of tropical rainforest in brief, with the second part of the plant ecology and last the diversity within this ecosystem.
Mountain McKinley, considered as the highest peak in North America, is located near the center of the Alaska Range. It is one of the best preserves in the world. Denali National Park, is near the top of the list for visitors to Alaska, has the most common features. Thus, the following composition is to present the features of Denali National Park.
Yosemite National Park: the trees grew far above the extent of my upward gaze, touching the clouds with leafy fingers, delicate raindrops falling slowly from their outstretched branches onto my upturned cheeks. Warm morning sunlight flowed from the fiery eye peeking over the mountaintop, waking the forest. The rays of light shone through each crystalline raindrop as it fell, fire dancing in the mist. In the distance, birds happily announced the dawn of a new day with a triumphant song, filling the fresh mountain air with a soft and gentle ambience. Rainclouds of the purest natural silver unfurled across a liquid golden sky, a misty wind causing the trees to tremble, their leaves falling, spilling their nighttime dewdrops onto the rocks far below.
Simply speaking, rainforests are basically the foundation of the earth. The most important role that rainforests play is ‘the lungs of the earth’. This is extremely vital to the earth’s survival as the trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide which they use to help grow and let out oxygen which we need to live. This system is known as the carbon-oxygen cycle and with numbers of rainforests declining, it is highly threatened. The largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon, alone is known to produce half of the world’s oxygen. A break down in the carbon-oxygen cycle means that we will not only have less oxygen, but an increase in carbon dioxide which eventually leads to global warming. This occurs as carbon dioxide traps heat which actually keeps the earth warm, with the right amount of carbon dioxide that is. This is called the greenhouse effect and occurs naturally however due to decreasing number of trees, there is more carbon dioxide than needed which traps extra heat making the earth hotter than needed, this is known as global warming which also causes a rise in sea level.
On September 9th, 2017 at approximately 7 p.m., I went to Gracedale Public Park to carefully conduct my observation on the individuals, who were at the park and their specific activities in the one hour of time. When I got there, the weather was beautiful with soft winds, a clear sky and with some dim sunlight. The park was full of people of all ages. Though, there were more kids than adults and some teenagers. There were many bicycles and strollers parked beside the tree I sat under. After a couple of minutes, the park filled up with more and more individuals and everyone seemed busy doing their own actions.
In many parts of the world, ecosystems’ temperatures begin to rise and fall to extreme levels making it very difficult for animals and plants to adapt in time to survive. Climate has never been stable here on Earth. Climate is an important environmental influence on ecosystems. Climate changes the impacts of climate change, and affects ecosystems in a variety of ways. For instance, warming could force species to migrate to higher latitudes or higher elevations where temperatures are more conducive to their survival. Similarly, as sea level rises, saltwater intrusion into a freshwater sys...
The environment can be further divided in to two classes, natural and unnatural environment. The natural environment refers to and includes all living organisms and nonliving things which occur naturally in the environment; as well as the interaction between these three components and which the earth sustains. The health of all three these components play a vital role in sustaining the earth’s organisms. The unnatural or built environment refers to an environment created by the hand and mind of man, one which is not of the natural environment.
Scientists have begun to say that we have to do more to protect our ecosystem, because our very existence is depending upon it. When the ecosystem is not functioning properly the continuation of plant, animal and human life ecosystems would be impossible. Life cycles can not function without ecosystems. The ecosystem provides us with clean air, water, habitats for fish and other services. They also aid in the mod...
Biodiversity is affected by five main pressures: habitat loss and degradation, climate change, excessive nutrient load and pollution, over-exploitation, and invasive alien species. As mentioned before, humans are not the only force that influences the environment. Natural events such as volcanic eruptions can potentially disrupt an ecosystem’s balance as well. However, at least three out of five of the principle pressures are caused by humans, although it is arguable that we do play a crucial role in speeding climate change and transporting invasive species. Ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss is almost like the result of the other issues.
The branch of science that deals with how living things, including humans, are related to their surroundings is called ecology . The Earth supports some 5 million species of plants, animals, and microorganisms. These interact and influence their surroundings, forming a vast network of interrelated environmental systems called ecosystems. The arctic tundra is an ecosystem and so is a Brazilian rain forest. The islands of Hawaii are a relatively isolated ecosystem. If left undisturbed, natural environmental systems tend to achieve balance or stability among the various species of plants and animals. Complex ecosystems are able to compensate for changes caused by weather or intrusions from migrating animals and are therefore usually said to be more stable than simple ecosystems. A field of corn has only one dominant species, the corn plant, and is a very simple ecosystem. It is easily destroyed by drought, insects, disease, or overuse. A forest may remain relatively unchanged by weather that would destroy a nearby field of corn, because the forest is characterized by greater diversity of plants and animals. Its complexity gives it stability.
Hunter Valley Gardens- Australia: Travel down to Pokolbin, Australia to visit lush and beautiful garden and is divided into ten different styled gardens ranging from Indian Mosaic Garden to the Formal Garden. The flora and fauna of the garden really creates a distinct look and makes it more colorful.