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The existence of a global carrying capacity, limiting the amount of life that can live at once, is debated, as is the question of whether such a limit would also cap the number of species. While records of life in the sea show a logistic pattern of growth, life on land (insects, plants and tetrapods) shows an exponential rise in diversity. [10]
A biome (/ ˈ b aɪ. oʊ m /) is a distinct geographical region with specific climate, vegetation, and animal life. It consists of a biological community that has formed in response to its physical environment and regional climate. [1] [2] Biomes may span more than one continent. A biome encompasses multiple ecosystems within its boundaries
An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by organisms in interaction with their environment. [2]: 458 The biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Ecosystems are controlled by external and internal factors.
[66] [67] "This leads to anomalies, such as food web calculations determining that an ecosystem can support one half of a top carnivore, without specifying which end." [68] Nonetheless, real differences in structure and function have been identified when comparing different kinds of ecological food webs, such as terrestrial vs. aquatic food ...
The unique ecosystem found in the intricate mesh of mangrove roots offers a quiet marine habitat for young organisms. [30] In areas where roots are permanently submerged, the organisms they host include algae , barnacles , oysters , sponges , and bryozoa , which all require a hard surface for anchoring while they filter-feed.
The Mojave Desert Land Trust is working to scout, catalogue, collect and preserve millions of seeds from 250 species and counting in a race to save an ecosystem.
The average time within a fire regime to burn an area equivalent to the total area of an ecosystem is its fire rotation (Heinselman 1973) [46] or fire cycle (Van Wagner 1978). [47] However, as Heinselman (1981) noted, [ 45 ] each physiographic site tends to have its own return interval, so that some areas are skipped for long periods, while ...
On the other end of the spectrum, there are real-life photographs that look like they come straight out of a video game or movie scene. We've scoured the depths of the 'net to find the most gamey ...