insect ecology assignment.docx

7/21/2019 Insect ecology assignment.docx

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Topic: Insect ecology

Prepared by:

Name:Md. Shah Alam

ID # PG 05-32-14-001

Batch: 32, 1stsemester

Department: Masters in Environmental Science

Course name: Ecolog


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1.0 Bacground

!he insect ecolog is the scienti"ic st#d o" ho$insects, individ#all or as a comm#nit, interact

$ith the s#rro#ndingenvironmentor ecosstem. %nsects &la signi"icant roles in the ecologo"

the $orldd#e to their vast diversit o" "orm, "#nction and li"e-stle' their considera(le (iomass'

and their interaction $ith &lant li"e, other organisms and the environment. Since the are the

ma)or contri(#tor to (iodiversit in the ma)orit o" ha(itats, e*ce&t in the sea, the accordingl

&la a variet o" e*tremel im&ortant ecological roles in the man "#nctions o" an eco-sstem.

!a+ing the case o" n#trient reccling' insects contri(#te to this vital "#nction ( degrading or

cons#ming lea" litter,$ood, carrionand d#ngand ( dis&ersal o" "#ngi.

%nsects "orm an im&ortant &art o" the "ood chain, es&eciall "or verte(ratess#ch as

man mammals,(irds,am&hi(iansand re&tiles. %nsects &la an im&ortant role in maintaining

comm#nit str#ct#re and com&osition' in the case o" animals ( transmission o"

diseases,&redationand&arasitism,and in the case o" &lants, thro#gh&hto&hagand ( &lant

&ro&agation thro#gh&ollinationand seed dis&ersal. rom an anthro&ocentric &oint o" vie$,

insects com&ete $ith h#mans' the cons#me as m#ch as 10 o" the "ood &rod#ced ( man and

in"ect one in si* h#mans $ith a&athogen.1

%nsects are the dominant gro#& o" organisms on earth in terms o" (oth ta*onomic diversit and

ecological "#nction. %nsects re&resent the vast ma)orit o" s&ecies in terrestrial and "resh$ater

ecosstems, and are im&ortant com&onents o" near-shore marine ecosstems as $ell. !his

diversit o" insect s&ecies re&resents an e#ivalent variet o" ada&tations to varia(le

environmental conditions. %nsects a""ect other s&ecies /incl#ding h#mans and ecosstem

&arameters in a variet o" $as. !he ca&acit "or ra&id res&onse to environmental change ma+es

insects #se"#l indicators o" change, ma)or engineers and &otential reg#lators o" ecosstem

conditions, and "re#ent com&etitors $ith h#man demands "or ecosstem reso#rces or vectors o"

h#man and animal diseases. %nsects &la critical roles in ecosstem "#nction. !he re&resent

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_ecology

1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_environmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_environmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nutrient_recycling&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_litterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_litterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_chainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertebratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertebratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphibianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseasehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseasehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasitismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasitismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytophagyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_dispersalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_environmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nutrient_recycling&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_litterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_chainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertebratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphibianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseasehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasitismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytophagyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_dispersalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect


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im&ortant "ood reso#rces, &redators, &arasites or disease vectors "or man other organisms,

incl#ding h#mans, and the have the ca&acit to alter rates and directions o" energ and matter

"l#*es /e.g., as her(ivores, &ollinators, detritivores, and &redators in $as that &otentiall a""ect

glo(al &rocesses. %n some ecosstems insects and other arthro&ods re&resent the dominant

&ath$as o" energ and matter "lo$, and their (iomass ma e*ceed that o" the more cons&ic#o#s

verte(rates s&ecies are ca&a(le o" removing virt#all all vegetation "rom a site. !he a""ect and are

a""ected (, environmental iss#es as diverse as ecosstem health (iodiversit conservation, "ood

&rod#ction, geneticall modi"ied cro&s, disease e&idemiolog, "re#enc and severit o" "ire and

other dist#r(ances, control o" invasive e*otic s&ecies, land #se, $ater and air &oll#tion and

climate change. !he ra&id change in "re#encies o" &artic#lar genes $ithin insect &olations, in

res&onse to changing environmental conditions, has &rovided some o" the (est con"irmation o"

evol#tionar &rinci&les.

ig#re 1 istri(#tion o" descri(ed s&ecies $ithin ma)or ta*onomic gro#&s. S&ecies n#m(ers "or insects, (acteriaand "#ngi li+el $ill increase greatl as these gro#&s (ecome (etter +no$n.


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2

!.0 Description

a. "ood chain

A ood chainsho$s ho$ each living thing gets its "ood. Some animals eat &lants and some

animals eat other animals. or e*am&le, a sim&le "ood chain lin+s the trees shr#(s, the gira""es

/that eat trees shr#(s, and the lions /that eat the gira""es. Each lin+ in this chain is "ood "or

the ne*t lin+. A "ood chain al$as starts $ith &lant li"e and ends $ith an animal.

Plants are called producers(eca#se the are a(le to #se light energ "rom the S#n to

&rod#ce "ood /s#gar "rom car(on dio*ide and $ater. !he &rocess ( $hich &lants ma+e"ood is called&hotosnthesis.

Animals cannot ma+e their o$n "ood so the m#st eat &lants andor other animals. !he

are called consumers. !here are three gro#&s o" cons#mers.

o Animals that eat 678 P7A6!S are called herbi$ores/or &rimar cons#mers.

o Animals that eat !9E: A6%MA7S are called carni$ores.

carnivores that eat her(ivores are called secondar cons#mers

carnivores that eat other carnivores are called tertiar cons#mers

e.g., +iller $hales in an ocean "ood $e( ... &hto&lan+ton ; small "ishes

; seals ; +iller $hales

Animals and &eo&le $ho eat


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"ood %eb/or ood cycle de&icts "eeding connections /$hat-eats-$hat in an ecological

comm#nitand hence is also re"erred to as a cons#mer-reso#rce sstem. Ecologists can (roadl

l#m& all li"e "orms into one o" t$o categories called tro&hic levels 1 the a#totro&hs, and 2

the heterotro&hs. !o maintaintheir (odies, gro$, develo&, and to re&rod#ce, a#totro&hs

&rod#ce organic matter "rominorganics#(stances, incl#ding (othmineralsand gasess#ch

as car(on dio*ide. !hese chemical reactionsre#ire energ, $hich mainl comes "rom

the s#nand largel (&hotosnthesis, altho#gh a ver small amo#nt comes "romhdrothermal

ventsand hot s&rings. A gradient e*ists (et$een tro&hic levels r#nning "rom com&lete a#totro&hs

that o(tain their sole so#rce o" car(on "rom the atmos&here, to mi*otro&hs/s#ch ascarnivoro#s

&lants that are a#totro&hic organisms that &artiall o(tain organic matter "rom so#rces other than

the atmos&here, and com&lete heterotro&hsthat m#st "eed to o(tain organic matter. !he lin+ages

in a "ood $e( ill#strate the "eeding &ath$as, s#ch as $here heterotro&hs o(tain organic matter

( "eeding on a#totro&hs and other heterotro&hs. !he "ood $e( is a sim&li"ied ill#stration o" the

vario#s methods o" "eeding that lin+s an ecosstem into a #ni"ied sstem o" e*change. !here are

di""erent +inds o" "eeding relations that can (e ro#ghl divided

intoher(ivor,carnivor,scavengingand&arasitism. Some o" the organic matter eaten (

heterotro&hs, s#ch as s#gars, &rovides energ. A#totro&hs and heterotro&hs come in all si=es,

"rommicrosco&icto man tonnes- "romcano(acteriatogiant red$oods, and

"romvir#sesand(dellovi(rioto(l#e $hales. 3

c. Abiotic and biotic factors

he main factors in!"encing life are:

#Abiotic factors$

# %iotic factors.

# Anthropogenic factors

3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/&ood_web
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_communityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_communityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer-resource_systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trophic_levelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trophic_levelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autotrophhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterotrophshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maintenance_of_an_organismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproductionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_matterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inorganichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inorganichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_reactionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_reactionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_venthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_venthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_venthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_springhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixotrophshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterotrophshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scavenginghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scavenginghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasitismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microscopic_scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microscopic_scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonnehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonnehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_redwoodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_redwoodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bdellovibriohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_communityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_communityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer-resource_systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trophic_levelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autotrophhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterotrophshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maintenance_of_an_organismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproductionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_matterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inorganichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_reactionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_venthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_venthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_springhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixotrophshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterotrophshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scavenginghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasitismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microscopic_scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonnehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_redwoodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bdellovibriohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whale


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%n ecosstems, (iotic "actors are all living organisms and the $aste that the &rod#ce. !his re"ers

to large li"e-"orms s#ch as trees or mammals, small li"e-"orms s#ch as insects and algae, and

microsco&ic li"e-"orms s#ch as (acteria. !hese are the most diverse and easil changea(le &arts

o" ecosstems, s#()ect to the (alance o" "ood chains and in"l#enced ( disease, &oll#tion and

a(iotic conditions. 4A(iotic "actors are all li"eless inorganic and organic elements o"


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(daphic actor

actor characteri=ing the soil, in all its &hsical and chemical &ro&erties /&9, str#ct#re, te*t#re,

vol#me, etc., having an over$helming role "or all "ood chains.

Biotic actors


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Insect responses to fire, compared to other conversion management of other

habitat by Swengel A.B.

Bacground

!he >ecosstem a&&roach> to conservation, $hich em&hasi=es nat#ral /ecological and

evol#tionar &rocesses over individ#al s&ecies, is "re#entl advocated toda.


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com&ared to the #tilit o" li"e histor traits and ha(itat s&eci"icit o" the ta*a.

Conse*uences

a +ore $s. less recent burning:Man insect gro#&s decline mar+edl immediatel a"ter"ire, $ith the magnit#de o" red#ction related to the degree o" e*&os#re to the "lames and

mo(ilit o" the insect. 6iche diversit is lo$er in recentl (#rned ha(itat, and the rate o"

insect increase "ollo$ing "ire also relates to the s&ecies@ a(ilit to gain access to the

regro$ing vegetation. Post(#rn "lora can (e #ite attractive to some recoloni=ing insects,

&ossi(l to some degree as a res#lt o" "ire-ca#sed insect mortalit $hich &rovides &lants

$ith short term release "rom insect her(ivor. As a long-term strateg "or conservation o"

o&en-ha(itat insects, the (roadcast +illing o" grassland insects ( rec#rrent "ires so that

the l#shl regro$ing vegetation $ill attract recoloni=ing grassland insects sho#ld (e

e*amined $ith ca#tion. !he red#ction o" generalist and &est insects ( "ire $ill li+el (e

short-term, (#t the /inadvertent red#ction o" more ha(itat-restricted s&ecies ( the same

"ires ma (e m#ch longer term, or even &ermanent.

( ,ingle %ildire $s. rotational ire management:hen insect res&onses to a single

$ild"ire are more "avora(le than to rotational "ire management, this can (e #nderstood as

"#nctions o" access and time to re&olate, since these $ild"ires occ#rred in a conte*t o"

long-#n(#rned ad)acent ha(itat also occ#&ied ( the s&ecies. Another "actor ma (e the

relativel higher s#ita(ilit o" ha(itat a"ter $ild"ire /more li+el to (e stand-re&lacing,

and there"ore cano&-red#cing than rotational "ire management /$hich, to sta

controlla(le, ma (e restricted more to the her( laer.

c Burning $s. idling:At the scale o" higher ta*a /"amil' order, the literat#re indicates

minimal di""erences (et$een (#rning and idling. St#dies o" individ#al s&ecies sho$ed

varied and sometimes inconsistent, res&onses. !h#s, (ased on st#dies o" overall insect

"a#nas, it is di""ic#lt either to )#sti" the investment in "ire management or s#(stantiate

harm "rom it. :es#lts (ecome onl some$hat more concl#sive $hen e*amining &artic#lar

s&ecies o" conservation concern. Even then, tho#gh, di""erences (et$een idling and

(#rning are o"ten relativel minor com&ared to other t&es o" management com&ati(le

$ith the contin#ed e*istence o" the "loristic comm#nit.


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d Burning $s. haying-mo%ing:%nsect declines ma "ollo$ immediatel a"ter mo$ing, (#t

are #s#all o" lesser degree and shorter d#ration than a"ter a "ire o" com&ara(le timing

and si=e. Season and scale o" c#tting ma a""ect ho$ m#ch and $hich s&ecies sho$ed

&ositive or negative res&onses. B#t areas o""er the vegetational str#ct#re and com&osition

&re"erred ( some insects, (#t c#tting, or c#tting at certain scales, seasons, or "re#encies,

is also #n"avora(le "or some s&ecies.

e &raing:9eav gra=ing res#lts in niche and assem(lage sim&li"ication. 6onetheless,

some inverte(rates &re"er the short t#r"s and (are gro#nd res#lting "rom heavier gra=ing.

ther s&ecies var in $hether the &ea+ in a(#ndance and diversit in intermediate, light,

or no gra=ing. 0

%n com&arisons o" mo$inghaing and gra=ing regimes o" similar com&ati(ilit $ith

maintenance o" the same ha(itat t&es, res&onses o" &artic#lar s&ecies and s&ecies gro#&s varied

as to $hether the had a &re"erence "or one or the other.

" Theory $s. obser$ation:Mortalit d#ring treatment, stress &ost-treatment in a more

sim&li"ied ha(itat, s#ita(ilit o" regro$ing vegetation, and a(ilit to re&olate a&&ear

e#all #se"#l "or e*&licating the e""ects o" "ire as $ell as other managements s#ch as

haing, mo$ing, and gra=ing on insect s&ecies. Another (asis "or &redicting insect

res&onse to "ire /and other managements ass#mes that the most ha(itat restricted s&ecies

sho#ld (e most ada&ted to /or de&endent on the ecological "orces tho#ght to (e &revalent

in that ecosstem.


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gra=ing, and other management interventions, s#ch as mo$ing and c#tting. :ed#cing this

variation leads to greater #ni"ormit /sim&li"ication o" niches and there"ore s&ecies among sites

o" the same ha(itat t&e. &timal site management "or an o&en ha(itat &atch can onl (e

determined (ased on the e""icac o" "ire or other management to &rod#ce a s&eci"ied s&ecies

com&osition and a(#ndance. C

/.0 )pplication in real %orld

a. "orests and (cology

ne easil #nderstanda(le e*am&le o" ecosstems and ecolog in action is the "orest. Dirt#all

everone has visited a "orest at one time or another, and those $ho are enth#siasts "or the great

o#tdoors ma s&end a great deal o" time in one. %n the &ast, o" co#rse, &eo&le interacted $ith

"orests not so m#ch o#t o" choice, and certainl not $ith recreation as the "oremost aim in mind,

(#t sim&l (eca#se the de&ended on the "orest "or s#rvival. 6ot onl did the "orest &rovide

h#nters and "ood-gatherers $ith an a(#ndance o" $ildli"e and "r#it, (#t trees &rovided material

"or (#ilding d$ellings. %t is no $onder, then, that man earl h#man settlements tended to (e in,

or at the edges o", "orests. A "orest is sim&l an ecosstem dominated ( trees. !here are man

varieties o" "orest, ho$ever, (eca#se so man "actors go into determining the character o" a "orest

ecosstem. !he "act that the "orest isan ecosstem means that its #alities are de"ined ( "ar

more than )#st the varieties o" trees, $hich are sim&l the most visi(le among man (iological

"orms in the "orest. 6#mero#s a(iotic, or non(iological, "actors also a""ect the characteristics o" a

"orest as $ell. or instance, there is $eather, de"ined as the condition o" the atmos&here at a

given time and &lace, and climate, the overall &atterns o" $eather "or e*tended &eriod. !hese

&la a clear role, "or instance, in de"ining the tro&ical rain "orest, a &lace $here constant rain"all

ens#res that there are al$as &lent o" &lants in "lo$er.


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vegetation do not all shed at the same time, the rain "orest cano&the #&&er laer o" trees in the

"orestremains rich in"oliageear-ro#nd. 9ence, the tro&ical rain "orest is an e*am&le o" an

evergreen "orest. Blimate can determine the t&e o" li"e "orms ca&a(le o" s#rviving in the "orest

ecosstem. !his can (e ill#strated ( re"erring to a "orest almost &er"ectl o&&osite in character

to a rain "orest the taiga, or(oreal "orest, that s&ans m#ch o" northernE#rasia. !he taiga is

adecid#o#s"orest, meaning that its trees shed their leaves seasonall' indeed, (eca#se o" the

ver cold climate in taiga regions, $here the tem&erat#re d#ring $inter is #s#all $ell (elo$ the

"ree=ing &oint, trees s&end a great &ortion o" the ear (are. :ain"all is m#ch, m#ch lo$er than in

a rain "orest, o" co#rse onl a(o#t 10-20 in. /250-500 mm &er ear, as com&ared $ith more than

?0 in. /1,F00 mm "or a t&ical rain "orest.

1*

!he dr, inhos&ita(leclimate o" the taiga ma+es it a "or(idding&lace "or re&tiles and am&hi(ians,

tho#gh the taiga is home to man endothermic/$arm-(looded creat#res s#ch as mammals or

(irds.

b. atitude altitude and orests

Elevation or relie"that is, height a(ove sea levelalso determines the character o" a "orest, as

do latit#de /distance north or so#th o" the e#ator andto&ogra&h, or the overall &hsical

con"ig#ration o" Earth@s s#r"ace in a given area. :ain "orests can e*ist an$here, (#t (

de"inition a tropicalrain "orest, s#ch as those along the Ama=on :iver in So#th America or the

Bongo :iver in A"rica, m#st lie (et$een the !ro&ic o" Bancer in the north and the !ro&ic o"

Ba&ricornin the so#th.

6at#rall, in the tro&ical rain "orest, tem&erat#res are hight&icall, a(o#t FC /30B d#ring

the da, cooling do$n to a(o#t CF /20B at night.


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(et$een 6orth Barolina and !ennessee, $hich, tho#gh located in the so#theastern Hnited States,

is chilleven in the s#mmer months.

I#st as latit#de a""ects a "orest, so does altit#de. :ain "orests at relativel high elevations, s#ch as

the highlands o" 6e$ G#inea, are +no$n asmontane"orests. !hese "orests, tho#gh the ma (e

located at the same latit#de as tro&ical rain "orestsmost montane "orests are in eastern


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areas o" "orest land, the "irst national "orest reserve /as national "orests $ere called at the time

$as Se#oia 6ational Par+, esta(lished in 1FJ1. 9ome to some o" the largest, most a$e-

ins&iring trees in the $orld, Se#oia is &art o" a gro#& o" national "orests and &ar+s to the

northeast o" vessel seed,> is a re"erence to the "act that the &lant +ee&s its seeds in
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a vessel $hose name, theovar, em&hasi=es the se*#al #alit o" the re&rod#ctive &rocess it

#ndergoes.

Angios&erms are a (ea#ti"#l e*am&le o" ho$ a &artic#lar gro#& o" organisms can ada&t to

s&eci"ic ecosstems and do so in a highl e""icient manner, s#ch that the evol#tionar "#t#re

heralds onl greater dominance "or these s&ecies. !his is all the more interesting in light o" the

contrast (et$een the s#ccess o" theangios&ermand the rather less im&ressive res#lts achieved (

another (road categor o" se*#all re&rod#cing&lant, one that "ormerl dominated Earth@s "orest

the gmnos&erm.

lo$ering &lants evolved onl a(o#t 130 million ears ago, ( $hich time gmnos&erms/o"

$hich modern &ines are an e*am&le had long since evolved and&roli"erated.8et in a relativel

short &eriod o" time, angios&erms have (ecome the dominant &lants in the $orld toda. A(o#t

F0 o" all living &lant s&ecies are "lo$ering &lants, and (ased on the record o" angios&erms and

gmnos&ermshereto"ore, it is li+el that the $orld o" 100 million ears "rom no$ $ill (e one in

$hich the "orests are t&i"ied ( angios&erms. Gmnos&erms, mean$hile, ma $ell (ecome a

ding, i" not a dead, (reed.

Pollination


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%n contrast to the angios&erm, $hich attracts (ees and other creat#res to it, gmnos&erms

&ac+age the male re&rod#ctive com&onent in tin&ollengrains, $hich it releases into the $ind.

Event#all, the grains ma+e their $a to$ard the "emale com&onent o" another individ#al $ithin

the same s&ecies, (#t the "act that the do is an e*am&le o" the $onder inherent in li"e itsel" and

not o" the e""icienc o" gmnos&erm re&rod#ction. Gmnos&erms sho$er their ecosstems $ith

&ollen, a "act "amiliar to anone $ho lives in a &lace $ith a high gmnos&erm &olationand

hence a high&ollen co#ntin the s&ring. %n gmnos&erm-heav environments, ello$ish d#st

"orms on everthing, and $here h#mans interact $ith the nat#ral $orld, this can create a great

deal o" discom"ortin the "orm o" ha "ever andallergies. Mean$hile, cars, $indo$sills,

mail(o*es, and virt#all ever other availa(le s#r"ace ta+es on a ello$ "ilm that #s#all is not

relieved #ntil a good rain "alls or, more li+el,&ollinationends "or the ear.

!ho#gh &ollen is#n&leasantto h#mans, it sho#ld (e noted that li+e all nat#ral mechanisms, it

(ene"its the overall ecosstem. Pac+ed $ith energ, &ollen grains contain large #antities o"

nitrogen, ma+ing them a ma)or (oost to the n#trientcontent in the soil.


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the aid o" mo(ile organisms in its environment. %n addition, the angios&erm ts a great deal o"

its energ into &rod#cing re&rod#ctive str#ct#res,an e""ort that &as o"" (o#nti"#ll.

1'


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(een a &ro(lem the $orld over, since the 1J?0s it has (ecome an iss#e &rimaril in develo&ing

co#ntries.

%n develo&ed nations s#ch as the Hnited States, environmental activism has raised (lic

a$areness concerning de"orestation and led to c#rtailmento" large-scale c#tting in "orests that

are deemed im&ortant environmental ha(itats. old,> and leached o" n#trients. itho#t the constant reintrod#ction o" organic material "rom

the &lants and animals o" the rain "orests, it $o#ld (e too &oor to gro$ anthing.

!here"ore, $hen nations c#t do$n their o$n rain "orest lands, the are in e""ect +illing the golden

goose to get at the egg once the rain "orest is gone, the land itsel" is $orthless.

e"orestation has several other e*tremel serio#s conse#ences. rom a (iological stand&oint, it

greatl red#ces(iodiversit, or the range o" s&ecies in the(iota. %n the case o" tro&ical rain

"orests as $ell as old-gro$th "orests /see


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s#rvive once the environmental str#ct#re has (een r#&t#red. rom an environmental &ers&ective,

it leads to dangero#s changes in the car(on content o" the atmos&here, disc#ssed later in this

essa. %n the case o" old-gro$th "orests or rain "orests, de"orestation removes

anirre&lacea(leenviron mental asset that contri(#tes to the &lanet@s (io diversitand to its

o*gen s#&&l.

Even "rom a h#man stand&oint, de"orestation ta+es an enormo#s toll. Economicall,

it de&letesval#a(le "orest reso#rces. #rthermore, de"orestation in man develo&ing co#ntries

o"ten is accom&anied ( the dis&lacement o" indigeno#s &eo&les, $hile still other &olitical and

social horrors mal#r+in the shado$s. or e*am&le, %ndians>

are l#red "rom cities $ith &romises o" high income and (ene"its, onl to arrive and "ind that thesit#ation is #ite di""erent "rom $hat $as advertised. 9aving &aid the &otential em&loer "or

trans&ortation to the $or+ site, ho$ever, the are #na(le to a""ord a ret#rn tic+et and m#st la(or

tore&athe cost.

1)

h. The &reenhouse (ect

!he most &otentiall serio#s as&ect o" c#tting do$n "orests ma $ell (e the greenho#see""ect,

$hich some scientists and activists (elieve is ca#sing an overall $arming o" the &lanet. !oda,

than+s to the &olarit o" environmental ca#ses among entertainment "ig#res and on college

camses, terms s#ch as >the greenho#se e""ect> and >glo(al $arming> are common&lace.

9o$ever, these &hrases are #sed so "re#entl, and sometimes so con"#singl or misleadingl,

that it is $orth$hileto address their meaning (rie"l' then, $e can concl#de o#r disc#ssion (
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loo+ing at $hat im&act the stead red#ction in "orest lands has had on the increasing release

o" greenho#se gases.

!he greenho#se e""ect itsel" is not a conse#ence o" an action on the &art o" h#man (eings'

rather, it is a &art o" li"e on Earth.

%n "act, $itho#t it, there co#ld beno li"e on Earth. !ho#gh the &lanet receives an incredi(le

amo#nt o" energ "rom the S#n, m#ch o" it is lost ( (eing a(sor(ed or re"lected in the

atmos&here or on the s#r"ace. So-called greenho#ses gases s#ch as car(on dio*ide, ho$ever, hel&

to tra& this energ, +ee&ing m#ch more o" the S#n@s$armth$ithin Earth@s atmos&here, m#ch as a

greenho#se hel&s tra& heat. itho#t the greenho#se e""ect, Earth $o#ld (e so cold that the

oceans $o#ld "ree=e.

(vio#sl, then, the greenho#se e""ect is a good thing(#t onl i" greenho#se gases are +e&t at

certain levels. Earth, a"ter all, is not the onl &lanet in the solar sstem that e*&eriences a

greenho#se e""ect' there is also Den#s, ahellish&lace $here s#r"ace tem&erat#res are as high as

J32 /500B. !o man environmentalists, there is a grave danger that Earth co#ld (e slo$l

going the $a o" Den#s, (#ilding #& greenho#se gases s#ch that the tem&erat#re is slo$l

increasing. !his is the &henomenon o" glo(al $arming, $hich threatens to melt the &olar ice ca&s

and s#(merge m#ch o" Earth@s land s#r"ace. At least, that is the o&inion o" environmentalists and

others $ho s#(scri(eto the idea that Earth is steadil $arming as a res#lt o" h#man &oll#tion and

ind#strial activit.

!here is a considera(le (od o" scienti"ic +no$ledge that challenges

the environmentalist&osition on glo(al $arming and the greenho#se e""ect, (#t it is not o#r

r&ose here to )#dge the vario#s &ositions. :ather, o#r concern is the lin+ (et$een "orests and

the increase o" greenho#ses gases in the atmos&here. 1
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21/22

ld-gro$th or mat#re "orests o" the t&e disc#ssed in S#ccession and Blima* contain vast

amo#nts o" car(onthe (asis "or all living thingsand $hen these "orests are c#t do$n, that

car(on has to go some$here. S&eci"icall, car(on, in the "orm o" car(on dio*ide,$ill (e released

into the atmos&here, increasing the amo#nt o" greenho#se gases there.

!his release ma occ#r #ic+l, as $hen $ood is (#rned, or more slo$l, i" the tim(er "rom the

"orest is #sed over long &eriods o" time"or instance, in the (#ilding o" ho#ses or other

str#ct#res. Statistics s#ggest an alarming change in the amo#nt o" car(on in the "orests as

com&ared $ith that in the atmos&here since a(o#t 1F50, the amo#nt o" car(on stored in "orests

had dro&&ed ( a(o#t one-third, $hile the amo#nt o" car(on dio*ide in the atmos&here has

increased ( a com&ara(le "actor. !h#s, the e""ort to +ee& greenho#se gases at via(le levels is

ine*trica(l tied to the movement to &reserve "orest ecosstems.

?

3.0 Conclusion

%nsects can (e "o#nd in ever environment on o#r &lanet. %nsects have ada&ted to a (road range

o" ha(itats, s#ccess"#ll "inding their o$n niche, (eca#se the $ill cons#me almost an

s#(stance that has n#tritional val#e.

%nsects &er"orm a vast n#m(er o" im&ortant "#nctions in o#r ecosstem. !he aerate the soil,

&ollinate (lossoms, and control insect and &lant &ests' the also decom&ose dead materials,

there( reintrod#cing n#trients into the soil.


22/22

others. e cannot harm the environment d#e to &oor #nderstanding o" ecolog. So the more $e

+no$ the (etter. or e*am&le, h#mans contin#e to destro $ildli"e ha(itats in order to (#ild

cities, the introd#ce contaminants s#ch as &esticides and ind#strial $astes into the environment

and then de&lete nonrene$a(le nat#ral reso#rces s#ch as "ossil "#els. !hese (ehavior, i"

#nchanged, co#ld someda render the earth #ninha(ita(le. !han+"#ll, there is movement to

(etter #nderstand ecolog and ta+e necessar ste&s to red#ce &oll#tion and end destr#ctive

h#man activities.

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