Natural ecosystems, which embrace everything - including aquatic ecosystems, desert ecosystems and forest ecosystems, are at present, seriously under attack due to the rapid surge in population growth. The ecosystems not only need to be protected, but they also need to be restored back to their original state if possible, to ensure that the planet survives.
Hyderabad: Natural ecosystem is a community of living and non-living organisms, where each component interacts together as a unit through biological, physical and chemical processes. The distinctiveness of natural ecosystems is that they are purely natural and their formations are not in any way influenced by human activity. Everything that makes an ecosystem, including the forests, oceans, seas, rivers, the rain forest, etc needs special attention today.
Tropical Rainforest Ecosystems
The tropical rainforests are found near the equator, between the tropics. These are the regions that experience very high annual rainfall and are characterised with high average temperatures. The areas also have high humidity that is lower in the dry season compared to the wet seasons. The tropical rainforest areas have extreme biodiversity and boost some of the most unique plant and animal species in the planet. Due to their location near the equator, they offer favorable conditions for survival.
Taiga Ecosystem
Taiga ecosystems are also referred to as the boreal forests or snow forests. These ecosystems constitute the world’s largest land ecosystems making up 29 per cent of the world’s forest cover. They are found throughout the high northern latitudes with considerable regional variations. Particularly, they are Subarctic-subalpine, needle-leaved forests. The Taiga ecosystems experiences extreme winters and short summers. Taiga soils are thin and poor in nutrients due to the cold which hinders the development of the soils.
Temperate Forest Ecosystem
The temperate forest ecosystems primarily include the temperate coniferous forests, which are evergreen and the temperate deciduous forests – the trees that lose their leaves each year. These natural ecosystems are mainly found between the tropics and in the Polar Regions. Their trees are wide leafed, large and tall. The major trees in these forests are the maple, oak, redwood, ash, birch, pine and beech. The areas have less undergrowth.
Tundra Ecosystem
Tundra ecosystems are found in the Arctic and Antarctic – the Polar Regions. The vegetation in Tundra ecosystems is composed of dwarf shrubs, sedges and grass, mosses and lichens. The subsoil is permanently frozen, which makes it impossible for trees to grow in the region. The tundra is covered in marches, lakes and streams during the warm summers. Since the Tundra ecosystems are very cold, the biodiversity is low with few plant species and land mammals adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions.
Shrubland Ecosystem
Shrubland ecosystems are as well-known as scrubland since they are dominated by low shrubs. The ecosystem occurs as a result of a transitional plant community between regions or may also occur after a disturbance of a forest because of natural or wildfires. Other interacting factors leading to the formation of shrublands include nutrient-poor soils, aridity or drought. Since these conditions are highly common in temperate, semi-arid, and continental climate areas, shrublands existence are predominant in these areas.
Lentic Ecosystems
These are the still water ecosystems. Lakes and the seas are good examples, but they can range from ponds to lagoons to vast oceans. These ecosystems have three regions. They include the open water zone, deep bottom regions not exposed to light, and the bottom and shore regions each with different conditions. Therefore, they host species specifically adapted to live in the regions, forming layers of different ecosystems.
Desert Ecosystem
Desert ecosystems are typically cold in the night and very hot during the day. They receive little to no rainfall annually. Deserts cover up to one fifth of the earth’s surface and lie in temperate zones as well. Owing to their extreme weather conditions, only a few animals live in the deserts. A good example is the camel which is capable of storing sufficient water and withstands the heat. Many other desert animals are nocturnal, spending most of their time underground during the day. Examples include desert snakes, scorpions, desert tortoise and many other reptiles.
Grassland Ecosystem
Grassland ecosystems include the temperate grasslands and the tropical savannahs. The soil of the temperate grassland is deep and dark with fertile upper layers, which is good for supporting plant growth. Savannahs, on the other hand, are found in warm and hot climates where the annual rainfall is very low. The soil of the savannah is porous with rapid drainage of water. The dominant vegetation is grass with scattered trees and shrubs. The ecosystem supports a large number of animal species such as the zebra, gazelle, wolves, rabbits, foxes, and coyotes.
Salt Marsh
The areas regularly flooded by the tides between open saltwater and land in the upper coastal intertidal zone make up saltmarsh ecosystems. Thus, it is part of the coastal ecosystem. Its uniqueness arises because it is densely dominated by salt tolerant plants namely grasses, herbs and low shrubs. These ecosystems support a number of terrestrial animals and provide protection to the coastal areas. They also play a critical role in the aquatic food web by availing nutrients in the coastal waters.
Coral Reefs
The diverse underwater marine ecosystems in existence across the world’s oceans in both deep and shallow waters constitute the coral reef ecosystems. They cover about one percent of the total ocean floor. Coral reefs are the “big cities of the sea” also often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea”. Since they have diverse and intricate marine habitats supporting a widely different numbers of marine species, coral reefs qualify as the world’s most prolific ecosystems. Notably, they act as the breeding grounds for fish and keep them safe while at the same time nourishing them with nutrients until the young ones are able to strike out in the ocean. Coral reefs also protect the ocean shores from storm damage.
Mangrove Swamp
Any form of shrubs or small trees growing in the coastal saline or brackish water make up the mangrove swamp ecosystems. The plants and shrubs in mangrove ecosystem are highly salt tolerant and well adapted to the harsh coastal conditions such as the low oxygen conditions of waterlogged mud. The plants also have complex root systems enabling them to cope with salt water immersion and wave action. The mangrove swamps are largely found in tropical and subtropical tidal areas.