Exercise 8

SPECIES, BIOMES, DENSITY AND DISTRIBUTION IN A MODEL ECOSYSTEM

Questions for Research

1. What is the importance of the following as factors in ecosystem structure and function?
a. biomass
b. abundance
c. dominance
d. distribution
e. species diversity of species

BIOMASS
https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/veg_measure/Modules/Lessons/Module%207(Biomass&Uti
lization)/7_2_Why%20Measure%20Biomass.htm

In an ecosystem, biomass is regarded as an important indicator of ecological management and

processes. The ecological status of a specific site is sometimes assessed by measuring the biomass. For
instance, the biomass of plants that dominate a specific site reflects the plants that control the solar,
nutrient, and water sources of the said site. In addition, biomass also contributes to some
biogeochemical cycles such as the carbon cycle.

ABUNDANCE
Information on the abundance of different species may provide an idea or insight on how a
certain ecological community functions.
https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/explaining-general-patterns-in-species-
abundance-and-23162842/

DOMINANCE
In an ecosystem, species contribution to the functions of an ecosystem can be assessed through
the dominance of the species, therefore most ecological communities may be defined by their dominant
species.
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.1499
https://www.revolvy.com/page/Dominance-%28ecology%29

DISTRIBUTION
The distribution of species or organisms in an ecosystem may provide more information about
how these species interact with each other and with their environment.
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-ecology/hs-population-
ecology/a/population-size-density-and-dispersal

SPECIES DIVERSITY OF SPECIES

Since species diversity is defined as a measurement of a ecosystem’s species richness, this
implies that if a certain ecosystem has a poor species diversity, there is a tendency that the ecosystem
may not function efficiently or properly. An example is species diversity in a population. Through
diversity, there may be different modes of nutrition which in turn may control the population in a
certain ecosystem.
https://sciencing.com/difference-between-community-ecosystem-5776576.html

References:

Launchbaugh, K. (2009). Principles of Vegetation Measurement & Assessment and Ecological Monitoring
& Analysis. Retrieved from
https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/veg_measure/Modules/Lessons/Module%207(Biomass&Utilization)
/7_2_Why%20Measure%20Biomass.htm

Verberk, W. (2011) Explaining General Patterns in Species Abundance and Distributions. Nature
Education Knowledge 3(10):38. Retrieved from
https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/explaining-general-patterns-in-species-
abundance-and-23162842/

Lohbeck and Madelon. (2016).

The importance of biodiversity and dominance for multiple ecosystem functions in a human-modified
tropical landscape. Retrieved from https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.1499

Dominance (ecology). Retrieved from https://www.revolvy.com/page/Dominance-%28ecology%29

Population size, density, & dispersal. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-

school-biology/hs-ecology/hs-population-ecology/a/population-size-density-and-dispersal

Chandler, D. (2017). Difference Between Community & Ecosystem. Retrieved from

https://sciencing.com/difference-between-community-ecosystem-5776576.html