Eco-Systems and Climate Change
Eco-Systems and Climate Change
Environmental science is the study of the biological environment of a specific area, region or globe. It is concerned with the study and conservation of life and ecosystems. This discipline has many sub-disciplines including ecological psychology, hydrology, earth science, zoology and zoological studies. It also includes art, construction, engineering, geology and biology. These various fields of study are combined with research and environmental management to produce a complete understanding of the environment around us.
The natural environment or the living world encompasses everything living and non-life existing naturally, which means outside of human presence. The term is generally used to describe the Earth’s environment or any particular regions of the Earth itself. All forms of the environment are affected by human activities both directly and indirectly, for example by our use of land forms such as arable land or agricultural land.
An important part of the natural environment is the wilderness; an area that exists without human influence and where natural vegetation, animals and human populations coexist in a relatively stable manner. In most cases, these areas also sustain their own ecosystems and are able to maintain their own ecosystems without any external influence. Some examples of wilderness areas include the Alaska Wilderness, the Australian Outback, the Brazilian rainforest and the Alaska peninsula. A very special type of wilderness is the ecological wilderness which is characterized by the presence of a unique biological diversity and the ability to provide a habitat supportive of both natural and human activity.
The natural systems within the earth’s biomes are made up of distinct habitats and living organisms. Within each of these biomes is a diverse range of different ecosystems and habitats, which together manage and maintain the productivity and sustainability of the overall system. This environment is the result of the co-existence and balance of ecosystems that support a variety of different processes that are necessary for life on earth.
Climate change is a huge issue for the United States, and the effects it is having on our environment are becoming all too apparent. Rapid temperature changes and drastic weather events are resulting in massive disruptions of ecosystems across the country. As this occurs many ecosystems are being exposed to increased risks of human interference such as disease, wildfire, severe weather and harmful climate change impacts. For this reason the federal government has been undertaking studies and implementing programs which are aimed at identifying and protecting regions most at risk from climate change.
It is of special concern to the animal species living within various ecosystems due to the implications climate change may have on their habitats and the species themselves. Recent reports have shown that the loss of certain types of birds have resulted from changes in the concentration and abundance of certain key nutrients. These changes have occurred due to alterations in the main food source of some bird species. Other important eco-systems affected by climate change include the ocean, forests and lakes. For this reason, the main article below provides you with further information on eco-systems and climate change.