Chose an ecosystem, analyze the impact of human activity on the Essay

Chose an ecosystem, analyze the impact of human activity on the ecosystem, and provides guidelines to help preserve your chosen - Essay Example Saving these rainforest ecosystems and rehabilitating forest lands is critical to ensure clean air and a healthy environment for all. Tropical Rainforest Ecosystems An ecosystem is a community of living organisms, as well as the non living components in their environment, on whom they depend for their needs. Nutrients and energy that are obtained from the environment are used so as to maintain an ecosystem. An ecosystem consists of various species and each of them has a relationship with other species that cohabit the ecosystem. Ecosystems are of various types and are determined by the prevailing climatic conditions which in turn define the vegetation and the variety of life forms found there. Examples of ecosystems are rainforests, grasslands, deserts, and water ecosystems like marine or freshwater ecosystems. Ecosystems can be divided into their biotic or living components like primary producers that are green plants, herbivores, carnivores etc; and the abiotic or non living compon ents like sunlight, temperature, moisture and so on. ... The Amazon rainforest, also known as Amazonia is the largest rainforest in the world. It is sometimes referred to as the lungs of the planet, due to its capacity to recycle large quantities of carbon dioxide into oxygen. Situated in South America, the Amazon rainforest covers more than half of Brazil and is the drainage basin for the Amazon river and its tributaries. Its proximity to the equator ensures plenty of heat and sunlight, which in turn generates rain that provides the moisture. High temperatures, and abundant rainfall throughout the year, results in a climate that is warm and humid. These are ideal conditions for the growth of all types of vegetation including a wide variety of trees, plants shrubs and other vegetation, which attracts innumerable birds, insects and animals. Hence rainforests are rich in their biological diversity and home to myriads of animal, bird and insect species. Biodiversity is important to the environment because it increases productivity in an ecosy stem, where every species, no matter how tiny, contributes to the health and well being of the ecosystem. As Ban Ki Moon (2010) rightly points out â€Å"Biodiversity underpins the functioning of the ecosystems on which we depend for food and fresh water, health and recreation, and protection from natural disasters.† (Ban Ki Moon, 2010) The Amazon rainforest consists of four layers, the emergent layer, the canopy, the shrub layer and the forest floor. The emergent layer consists of the tallest trees, some that are over 50 meters in height. The leaves of these trees are smooth and waxy and taper to what is known as a drip tip to allow water to drip off it to the layer below. The canopy is below the emergent layer and is a sea of leaves. Since the tallest trees and the canopy of