Nutrient cycling is the cyclical movement of organic and inorganic matter through an ecosystem. Nutrients are said to be "recycled" in ecosystems because they are broken down from organic matter and then contribute to the growth of new organic matter. Examples of nutrients that are cycled through ecosystems include nitrogen, carbon, potassium, phosphorus, and … [Read more...]
Metapopulation – Weston Hawkins
Metapopulation A group of spatially separated populations of one species that interact through immigration and emigration. For example, populations of the checkerspot butterfly in California have a metapopulation structure consisting of a number of small satellite populations that surround a large source population on which they rely for new recruits. Elimination of much of … [Read more...]
Resilience – Polo
Resilience theory focuses on the capacity of a social-ecological system's ability to absorb disturbances and reorganize after change in order to maintain its original form (function, structure, identity and feedback systems). Past approaches of resilience theory focused primarily upon mathematical modelling, however, advances in social processes and social learning have been … [Read more...]
Population Viability
Population viability refers to the probability of survival of a population over a given period of time. Biologists and ecologists often discuss it in terms of minimum viable population, which is the smallest number of individuals needed to ensure the reach a high probability of survival (typically >95%) over long period of time, and use population viability analysis (PVA) … [Read more...]
Eutrophication-Naghavi
Eutrophication is the result of an increased presence of nitrogen and phosphorus in bodies of water. This nutrient enrichment of the water causes algal blooms and their decomposers use up and therefore deplete the water of oxygen, causing other organisms to die. Fertilizer runoff and sewerage leaking increases the rate of this otherwise natural … [Read more...]