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Wetland Ecosystem Article
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The Grassland Ecosystem
from:The grassland ecosystem covers the flora, fauna and ground conditions with in the parameters of a grassland. From the climatic conditions to the members and relationships in the food chain, the grassland ecosystem is dependant on the major resources available. In the grassland ecosystem the proportion of flora, including the varieties of trees, grasses, fungi and flowers will effect the way in which fauna exist.
The fauna in a grassland ecosystem will include the minute and the massive. The grassland ecosystem offers shelter and living conditions to insects, birds, arachnids and mammals, from the tiny bush mouse to the largest mammal, lizard or predator.
In the grassland ecosystem the smallest creatures and plants are still important to the structure of the environment. From the smallest gnat to the largest predator, the relationship between the food chain is vital to the balance of the ecosystem. In the way that grass feeds cattle so too do smaller creatures become food for larger. Even the plants of the grassland will become fodder for larger herbivores or small creatures. The grassland ecosystem is balanced by the resources available. The number of trees, fungi, grass or flowers will be, maintained by the number of animals or insects using them for their lifestyle or food sources. If the number of predators in the grassland ecosystem should alter, then the food chain would be unbalanced right down to the fundamental level. Even a slight alteration in the grassland ecosystem, due to floods or drought or human intervention, can lead to the destruction of the grassland ecosystem itself.
The grassland ecosystem is reliant on the balance being maintained, between growth and decay. While rotting grass, carcasses and mulch can offer sustenance to some creatures, the death of a plant is still part of the grassland ecosystem. The mulch provides the ideal place for germination of other seeds. All this is part of the balance of the grassland ecosystem.
The grassland ecosystem includes the life cycle of the larger animals too. Their living, reproducing, hunting and dying all effect the way the grassland ecosystem achieves balance. Any variation to the numbers of creatures within the grassland ecosystem could change the fragile balance drastically. To few predators could mean an over production of smaller herbivores. This would lead to a loss of plant life within the grassland ecosystem. Once the balance is lost, it can be impossible to regain.
The delicate balance of the grassland ecosystem is vital to the health and vitality of the grassland itself. From climate conditions, water quality and quantity, to human intervention, or exploitation, the grassland ecosystem is prone to influences that can alter it forever.
Wetland Ecosystem Specific links
Wetland Ecosystem News
Natural habitat under threat: report - Independent Online
 Independent Online | Natural habitat under threat: report Independent Online Compiled by the SA National Biodiversity Institute, the report, which is released every seven years, assesses South Africa's biodiversity and ecosystems, covering terrestrial, river, wetland, estuarine, coastal, and marine environments, ... Step up efforts to protect biodiversity - Molewa |
Malibu Lagoon Project Threatens the Tidewater Goby and Other Wildlife - Care2.com (blog)
Malibu Lagoon Project Threatens the Tidewater Goby and Other Wildlife Care2.com (blog) The Malibu Lagoon, a pristine wetland at the base of Malibu Creek located just north of Los Angeles, California, is a lush ecosystem home to a variety of species of flora and fauna. However, years of urban sprawl and human interference have shrunk the ... |
Rezoning request for mining near Cape wetland - Business Day
Rezoning request for mining near Cape wetland Business Day Verlorenvlei is internationally recognised under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, to which SA is a signatory, as an endangered ecosystem. Mr van der Walt said Bongani had already approached the Western Cape government to set up a meeting with the ... |
NYPA funding awarded for study of St. Lawrence River ecosystem in Massena area - North Country Now
NYPA funding awarded for study of St. Lawrence River ecosystem in Massena area North Country Now Clarkson University will use its $19162 funding to study the ecological conditions of wetlands in places along the St. Lawrence River where water quality and biodiversity are thought to be compromised. The grant, funded through the New York Power ... |
Army Corps to hold meeting on Mokuhinia Ecosystem Restoration - Lahaina News
Army Corps to hold meeting on Mokuhinia Ecosystem Restoration Lahaina News As part of the process, the County of Maui and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are conducting a feasibility study for the proposed Mokuhinia Ecosystem Restoration Project. The purpose is to restore Loko o Mokuhinia, the large, spring-fed wetland ... |