Balancing Ecosystems Sci275
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Balancing Ecosystems
Amanda L Head
SCI/275
December 13th, 2014
Shantel Anderson
To Whom It May Concern:
It has come to my attention that the town of Glimmerville is experiencing a similar problem with their aquatic ecosystem. Within the past three years our city has experienced, and rectified, a similar problem with the grass carp. The grass carp were an essential addition to our reservoir in order to cut down on the overgrowth of vegetation due to the fertilizer used by our farmers. However, the grass carp began producing at a rapid rate. This effectively began pushing out other indigenous fish species that are imperative to our aquatic ecosystem, and our economy.
When addressing the issue of bringing balance back to the reservoir there were several options to consider. However, we first had to understand what ecosystem balance is and what it meant to our aquatic ecosystem. Ecosystem balance is a form of homeostasis. Homeostasis is defined as “staying the same”. (Chiras, 2013) In terms of our ecosystem it maintains a similar definition. “Like organisms, ecosystems possess many mechanisms that help to keep natural systems in a state of relative constancy.” (Chiras, 2013) In order for ecosystem balance to occur there are two groups of factors that work together to ensure this balance: Growth factors and Reduction factors. Growth factors allow for an increase in population sizes, and reduction factors allow for a decrease in population sizes. “At any given moment the population size of a given organism is determined by the interplay of numerous biotic and abiotic growth and reductions factors.” (Chiras, 2013) Biotic, or biological, factors involve such things as predators. Abiotic, or non-biological, factors involve such things as the amount of rainfall, and temperature. In our community we had both at play. Some factors that ensured growth for the grass carp were an adequate food supply, which is biotic, and a favorable chemical...
Amanda L Head
SCI/275
December 13th, 2014
Shantel Anderson
To Whom It May Concern:
It has come to my attention that the town of Glimmerville is experiencing a similar problem with their aquatic ecosystem. Within the past three years our city has experienced, and rectified, a similar problem with the grass carp. The grass carp were an essential addition to our reservoir in order to cut down on the overgrowth of vegetation due to the fertilizer used by our farmers. However, the grass carp began producing at a rapid rate. This effectively began pushing out other indigenous fish species that are imperative to our aquatic ecosystem, and our economy.
When addressing the issue of bringing balance back to the reservoir there were several options to consider. However, we first had to understand what ecosystem balance is and what it meant to our aquatic ecosystem. Ecosystem balance is a form of homeostasis. Homeostasis is defined as “staying the same”. (Chiras, 2013) In terms of our ecosystem it maintains a similar definition. “Like organisms, ecosystems possess many mechanisms that help to keep natural systems in a state of relative constancy.” (Chiras, 2013) In order for ecosystem balance to occur there are two groups of factors that work together to ensure this balance: Growth factors and Reduction factors. Growth factors allow for an increase in population sizes, and reduction factors allow for a decrease in population sizes. “At any given moment the population size of a given organism is determined by the interplay of numerous biotic and abiotic growth and reductions factors.” (Chiras, 2013) Biotic, or biological, factors involve such things as predators. Abiotic, or non-biological, factors involve such things as the amount of rainfall, and temperature. In our community we had both at play. Some factors that ensured growth for the grass carp were an adequate food supply, which is biotic, and a favorable chemical...