Ecosystem Processes: Energy, Nutrients, Water

• Ecosystem processes are the natural functions and interactions which sustain ecosystems and shape the structure, composition, and function of landscapes over time.

Four Main Ecosystem Processes:

• The four key ecosystem processes are energy flow, nutrient cycling, the water cycle, and disturbance and succession.

Energy Flow

• Solar energy is captured by plants through photosynthesis and is converted into chemical energy.
• This energy moves through the food chain as herbivores eat plants, and then carnivores eat herbivores.
• Decomposers break down dead organisms, and in doing so they return nutrients to the soil, continuing the energy cycle.

Nutrient Cycling

• Essential nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycle through ecosystems.
• Plants absorb nutrients from the soil, while animals obtain nutrients by consuming plants.
• Decomposition releases nutrients back into the soil and completes the cycle.

Water Cycle (Hydrological Cycle)

• Water goes throughout landscapes by way of precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, infiltration, and runoff.
• Vegetation regulates water retention and movement, preventing erosion and maintaining quality.
• Deforestation and urbanization will disrupt natural water cycles.

Disturbance and Succession

• Ecosystems undergo both natural and human-induced disturbances. Examples of natural disturbances include wildfires, floods, and storms, while an example of a human-induced disturbance is deforestation.
• These disturbances start ecological succession, where plant and animal communities recover and change over time.
• Ecosystems like grasslands rely on periodic disturbances to maintain biodiversity.

Why These Processes are Important

• They maintain the health of the ecosystem and maintain its resilience via nutrient availability, energy transfer, and biodiversity.
• They ensure land use planning and conservation by helping humans sustainably manage resources.
• They promote ecosystem services like clean water, air purification, and regulation of the climate.
• Understanding these processes helps managing landscapes effectively, whether for conservation, agriculture, or urban development.

Nutrient Cycling Details

• Nutrient cycling entails the movement of elements like carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and suffer through an ecosystem.
• Nutrients recycle between the atmosphere, organisms, soil, and water, ensuring life can be sustained.
• This is exemplified with the Nitrogen Cycle.

The Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen gas (N2) in the atmosphere converts to ammonia (NH3) by nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
• Plants then absorb nitrates (NO3-) from the soil to grow.
• Animals consume the plants, adding nitrogen into their systems.
• When an organism dies, decomposers break down its structure, returning nitrogen to the soil and releasing it back into the atmosphere.

Energy Flow Details

• In an ecosystem follows a one-way path from the sun to producers (plants), consumers (herbivores/carnivores), and then decomposers.
• Energy is not recycled and exits as heat, which contrasts with nutrients.
• An example of this is the food chain.

The Food Chain

• The Sun provides the energy
• Plants use sunlight for photosynthesis to create sustenance.
• Herbivores eat the plants to obtain the plant's energy.
• Carnivores eat the herbivores.
• Decomposers break down dead organisms, and it goes into the environment.
• Energy goes away as heat at each level which limits the following level.

Hydrological (Water) Cycle Details

• Describes water movement via evaporation of water from the Earth's surface and back to the atmosphere.
• This process helps distribute drinkable water, regulates the temperature of the climate, and sustains life.
• Its exemplified with the Water Cycle.

The Water Cycle:

• The Sun heats water in the oceans, lakes, and rivers, and turns that water into vapor (evaporation).
• This water vapor cools down and creates clouds (condensation)
• Water then will fall from the sky as rain, snow, or hail (precipitation).
• Water flows into the rivers and lakes or sinks to the ground and replenishes groundwater (runoff and infiltration).
• The constant movement of water helps the ecosystem, agriculture, and mankind.

Pros and Cons

• It is important to consider the pros and cons of nutrient cycling, energy flow, and hydrological processes.
• Nutrient Cycling
  • Pro: Supports life, maintains the balance of the ecosystem, and reduces waste by cycling it back to the soil.
  • Con: Pollution disruptions can come from a heavy use of fertilizers, and deforestation & effects from agriculture can reduce the number of nutrients in the soil.
• Energy Flow
  • Pro: Supports food webs and ecosystems as the sun provides energy for survival.
  • Con: 90% of all energy is lost as heat, limiting the organisms at higher levels. Food webs collapse when producers, like plants, perish because of climate change and deforestation.
• Hydrological (Water) Cycle
  • Pro: Gives freshwater, regulates the climate as the Earth's temperature, and distills water when evaporation and precipitation happen.
  • Con: Water scarcity is linked to climate change, human overuse, and groundwater that are over-pumped. Excess rainfall, deforestation, soil erosion, and natural disasters. A pollution effect comes from waste from factories and pesticides that hurt the ecosystem.

Ecosystem Spatial Patterns and Interactions

• The relationship between spatial patterns and the functions of ecosystems are key to understanding the process of ecology, as well as biodiversity distribution, and resource management.
• The arrangement of physical and biological features in a landscape influences processes in an ecosystem, and vice versa.
• These interactions relate to species movement, distribution, and response to disturbances.

Habitat Connectivity & Species Movement

• Spatial patterns effect species movement, biodiversity, gene flow, and the stability of a population.
• Fragmentation of landscapes impacts the species movement and causes genetic isolation/local extinctions.

Resource Distribution & Productivity

• Arrangement of vegetation, types of soil and bodies of water effect the cycles of nutrients, retention of water, and the productivity.
• Wetlands will purify water and sequester carbon in a fragmented landscape.

Disturbance & Resilience

• Ecosystems spatial structure effects all responses to different natural events. Examples of natural effects are floods fires, and storms.
• Faster ecosystem recovery can happen with seed distribution and other means of migration.

Human Impact & Land Use Change

• Deforestation, expanding agriculture, and urbanization modifies spatial pattern, this disrupts climate regulation, storage of carbon, and pollination.
• Careful land planning has the ability to lessen bad impacts through protecting designated zones and corridors.

Climate Regulation & Microclimate Formation

• Spatial vegetation influences regulation of temperature, wind patterns, and water retention.
• Creating urban green areas cut down the urban heat because it brings in cooling and increases humidity.

Spacial/Ecosystem Interaction Examples

Forest Landscapes

• Forests that fill several areas impact carbon sequestration, the dispersal of seeds, and wildlife migration. River Networks
• Rivers that are strung out impact moving sediments nutrients, and ocean biodiversity. Agricultural Mosaics
• Farming directly effects pest control, fertility of the soil, and efficiency of pollination.

Examples of Spatial Patterns interacting with Ecosystem Functions

Habitat Fragmentation Details

Example

• Deforestation can cause the Amazon Rainforest which fragments the forest and makes isolated patches. This fragments species movement, genetic diversity, and makes the resilience of the ecosystem worse. Many animals fight to eat, like the jaguar is forced to fight to catch its prey. Ecosystem Effects
• Declining seed distribution, as animals like monkeys and birds move around less, weaker carbon storage, and a rise in pollution all come from this.

Water Purification from Wetlands

Example

• Natural cleansing occurs from swamps which are located in Florida, named the Everglades. Nonetheless, the wetlands' functions have been damaged a lot from urbanization and agriculture, and in turn, cause drinking water problems. Ecosystem Effects
• Due to this the fish population is going to be negatively impacted, due to a loss of cleaning capabilities of the water, and seaweed rise.

Urban Green Spaces & Climate Regulation

Example

• Singapore has the goal to use rooftops with green and gardens with a vertical structure. The purpose for this is to cut down the affects of of the urban heat. Rising the green area throughout the urban landscapes reduces temperatures, and supports biodiversity is supported. Ecosystem Effects
• Air quality increases a lot, carbon sequestration can be improved, and a localized cooling for weather will be provided.

Farm Land & Pollination

Example

• Monoculture is heavily prevalent, mostly referring to the California Almond farms. These farmers depend a lot from managing the honey bees for pollination. Not very diverse, floral resources only limit wild pollinators; this makes the ecosystem so vulnerable. Ecosystem Effects
• Pollinators will naturally decline, causing a lower output for the crop, and mostly dependence on managing bees for farms.

Coastal Protection from Coral Reef Spatial Patterns

Example

• Australia reefs will provide safety for coastline; waves of power, and storm surges could provide a devastating affect to coral reefs. Rising of the ocean temperature will lead to more reef breakages, and diminish its capabilities of protecting the coastline. Ecosystem Effects
• Coastal erosion will grow, marine biodiversity falls, and less production of fishery.

Nutrient Transport and River Systems

Example

• Nutrients found in Mississippi River Delta transports from farming to Mexico. Extreme consumption will cause oxygen lost, which leads to "dead zone". Ecosystem Effects
• All aquatic food chains are affected badly, as a mass dying of the fish community can happen.

Conclusion

• Species interactions, sources, and disturbances effect the abilities of the ecosystem. Knowing these assist, plan great land-use, and counter balance changes in temperature.
• These samples show many forms directly make environment functions. Smart governing landscapes is a great way to enhance ecosystem.

The Philippines Laws

• Laws throughout the Philippines will monitor ecosystem. This provides the protection of the environment, used land more sustainably, and preservation of biodiversity There are 11 separate laws.
• Presidential Decree No. 1151, 1977
  • Created a national policy that allows for environmental preservation and sustainability.
  • Evaluation on ecosystem is required for projects that may cause harm.
• Presidential Decree No. 1152, 1977 regarding Philippines Environmental Code
  • This will spread to land, water, air quality; which handles management of pollution, also waste.
  • This act regulates coastal areas, forest, and wildlife.
• Republic Act No. 7586, amended by RA 11038, 1992 & 2018 regarding National Integrated Protected Areas System
  • This makes preserved areas for biodiversity, which leads to marine to parkland/forest.
  • Regulate activeness throughout areas to stop environmental effects.
• Republic Act No. 8749, 1999 regarding Clean Air Act
  • Goal is to limit emissions, vehicles, factories, and many more
  • Ecosystems can be upheld by holding air very clean and prevent the rain from being acid level low.
• Republic Act No. 9003, 2000 regarding Ecological Solid Waste Management Act
  • This enhances proper recycling.
  • Affects pollution, water, and landscape.
• Republic Act No. 9147, 2001 regarding Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act
  • Safeguard wildlife.
  • Ecosystem's conservation, this inhibits from wrecking habitats.
• Republic Act No. 9275, 2004 regarding Clean Water Act
  • Safeguards water pollution and allows for securing more drinking water.
  • Health can be maintain throughout the ecosystems; more especially, coastal and lake type areas.
• Republic Act No. 9729, 2009, amended by RA 10174, 2012 Climate Change Act
  • Adapting to drastic changes needs proper framework.
  • Secures floods from drought types of climate.
• Republic Act No. 11038, 2018 regarding Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act
  • Increases regions that are safeguarded for sustainability.
  • Strengthens area control.
• Presidential Decree No. 705, 1975, amended by RA 7161, 1991 regarding Forest Protection Legislation Controlling is main core for forest and lumbering.
• Republic Act No. 9175, 2002 Chainsaw Act
  • Halts use of chainsaw to avoid deforestation.
• Republic Act No. 7160, 1991 regarding Section Government Code
  • Gives the authority to areas to local in manage the environmental.
  • Sustain development within municipalities.
• Every act works, and preserves the landscape, ensures sustainability along with the ecosystems.