Biogeochemical cycling is defined as the chemical element flow between the living and nonliving components of the ecosystem. This is the cycle of nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon being converted into organic substances of plants and animals that are released back into the environment.
There are three ways that human activities cause an imbalance of biogeochemical cycling on a daily basis. The carbon cycle (organisms in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems exchange carbon dioxide with the atomosphere) (essentials of biology, 2015), the phosphorus cycle (phosphates flow into large bodies of water …show more content…
Provide one example of each.
Opportunistic populations are small individuals, with a short life span that are fast to mature, and they have many offspring which they provide little or no care for. Opportunistic species exhibit exponential growth. The populations typically have a high dispersal capacity. An example of an opportunistic species would be the dandelion.
Equilibrium populations are large individuals with a long life span that are slow to mature. They have few offspring and provide a lot of care to their offspring. Equilibrium species exhibit logistic growth, with the population size remaining close to or at the carrying capacity of the environment. The individuals must compete and those with phenotypes best suited to the environment will have the largest number of offspring. The growth of equilibrium species tends to be regulated by density-dependent factors. An example of an equilibrium species would be the …show more content…
The services provided by indirect values are wide-ranging. Examples of indirect values are biogeochemical cycles which are services that provide for fresh water, removal of carbon dioxide from the air, the uptake of excess nitrogen in the soil, and the provision of phosphates. Water disposal through the action of decomposers, provision of fresh water through biogeochemical cycle, prevention of soil erosion, which occurs naturally in intact ecosystems, and the regulation of climate through plants to take up carbon dioxide are more examples of indirect values.
Direct values are products that are beneficial to human beings. Examples of direct values include medicinal value which are prescriptions and medicines made from living organisms such as penicillin. Agricultural value are crops that are originally derived from wild plants that are modified to be a high producer. The crops include wheat, corn, and rice. Biological pest control and animal pollinators which are preferred over chemical pesticides. Consumptive use value which is food consumption from cultivating crops, keeping domesticated animals, and growing trees and much more.
Describe two traits that represent a sustainable society and two traits of a nonsustainable