As more species are inscribed into the endangered species list, it has proven difficult to find diverse arrays of species within ecosystems as some species fail to cope with the changes and conditions of the ecosystem. Therefore, ecosystems that host large set of species are “awesome” because they prove to be especially important and unique as many species may depend on their abiotic components for survival. Therefore, those systems should be protected and preserved. This paper classifies 5 ecosystems and analyzes their biological diversity as well as their abiotic components that allow the species to thrive. This is determined by studying the functions of species in the ecosystem, their contributions to the ecosystem, the level of similarity of the species and the variety of abiotic components of the ecosystems that are used by the organisms.
Diversity
Diversity
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1
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2
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3
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4
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Very little biodiversity. Doesn’t support many different species. Ecosystem does not have enough abiotic components to support large array of species.
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Somewhat diverse. Supports a few types of species. Ecosystem has enough abiotic components to support a few different species.
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Has a diverse set of species. Supports many different species as well as both vertebrates, invertebrates and plant life. Has many abiotic components that support different types of life.
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Very diverse. Inhabitants include species from almost all animal kingdoms and a diverse plethora of plant life. Species frequently interact with each other and with nonliving components. Abiotic components support almost all forms of life.
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Determining Diversity
Array of Species
Amount of Different Unique Species
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Minimal
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Somewhat Small
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Adequate Biodiversity
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Very Diverse
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Extremely Diverse
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Ecosystem hosts very limited set of species, where all species in the ecosystems have more similarities than differences.
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Ecosystem has some small variety of species. Species have some differences while most are still similar to each other.
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Ecosystem hosts species that have more differences than similarities. The biodiversity is somewhat present and is recognizable.
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Ecosystem has many different species. Most species have more differences than similarities. The biodiversity is very clear and noticeable in this ecosystem.
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Almost all species in this ecosystem are very different from one another. Organisms that inhabit the ecosystem come from various parts of the animal kingdom and create broad and diverse interactions.
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Abiotic Components
Set of Abiotic Components
Level of Abiotic Components Provided
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Small
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Average
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Large
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Abiotic components of the ecosystem are suitable for very few species. They are limited to few select species.
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Abiotic components of the ecosystem provides to the necessities of living for various different types of species. Species in the ecosystem are fairly similar.
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Abiotic components of the ecosystem provides for many different types of species. Houses very diverse array of species and is an excellent home for many organisms.
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Energy/Food Sources
Energy/Food Sources
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Little Energy/Food Sources
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Adequate Energy/Food Sources
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High Energy/Food Sources
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Food or energy sources are only available or suitable for few species in the ecosystem. Most organisms struggle to thrive in this environment.
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Food or energy sources are available or suitable for a variety of species in the ecosystem. In rare occasions, some species can struggle due to shortages of food in the ecosystem.
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Food or energy sources are available to a major set of species. These species are very diverse yet still manage to obtain food and energy in this ecosystem.
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The Top 5 Ecosystems:
1. Galapagos Island, Ecuador
Bainbridge Rocks of Galapagos Islands
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDW-gOBbUo7CZjHVu70d6-PXqTAshY67ExKGmBtqKpmjkSrzpws1Tuma2OaCELjaHz-WgGay3FH8XO8_jpN4dZpO1TtKZPv6P1qikVqtQbO_oPx5lXT33SJvDmNejZShPGG-1IXfZrEC3f/?imgmax=800
Diversity: 4
Array of Species: Extremely Diverse
Set of Abiotic Components: Large
Energy/Food Sources: High Energy/Food Sources
The Galapagos Islands are awesome, and worth preserving, as they are home to a very large and diverse array of species. Inhabitants of these volcanic islands range from the Galapagos penguins to lava lizards, and even the hammerhead sharks. The islands also house more than 800 species of mollusks which include snails, octopuses, cuttlefish, oysters and squids.
Due to the placement near the equator, the Galapagos Islands offer a warm climate to many tropical species. However, cold currents allow it to rain consistently on the islands as well, resulting in a very balanced climate. During the summer the average temperature is 25 degrees celsius while in winter the average temperature is 22 degrees celsius.
This consistent, balanced and warm climate allows plants and animals to thrive in the Galapagos Islands. The large and strong variety of animals create a complicated food web that is mostly dominated by reptiles or hawks. Although human interference can cause decline of population for some species, the consistent conditions of the islands restrict that for the most part.
2. Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia
Queensland, Australia
http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2014/02/11/1226823/228091-wet-tropics.jpg
Diversity: 4
Array of Species: Very Diverse
Set of Abiotic Components: Large
Energy/Food Sources: High Energy/Food Sources
The Wet Tropics of Queensland is home to some of the most diverse organisms on the planet. Over 850 different species call Queensland their home. Among them, there are over 300 bird species, 107 mammals, 113 reptiles and 51 amphibians. There are also over 400 plant species, which include 90 species of orchids.
Queensland is situated in the equator and has a very tropical climate. The Wet Tropics is made up of a large tropical rainforest where the amount of rainfall could climb to over 8,000 mm annually. During winter, the average temperature is between 15 degrees celsius to 25 degrees celsius while in the summer temperatures can go over 30 degrees celsius.
The Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia hosts over 100 native species as well as a diverse array of other species. It provides a suitable atmosphere and climate for organisms that thrive in mild to hot temperatures. Currently, only 15% of the Wet Tropics is protected by the local government.
3. Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, Philippines
Calauit Island
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/files/2011/11/calauit.jpg
Diversity: 2
Array of Species: Adequate Biodiversity
Set of Abiotic Components: Average
Energy/Food Sources: Adequate Energy/Food Sources
The Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary is unlink any other ecosystem on this list. After a plea to preserve African Wildlife by the Kenyan President Jomo Kenyatta in the 1970s, it has been said that the Government of the Philippines imported a select group of African Wildlife including zebras, giraffes and antelopes into the remote island of Calauit.
The warm climate of the Philippines allows the animals to cope in Calauit after their migration from Africa. The island is mostly made up of grasslands, which are similar to the African grasslands. The tropical climate also presents a warm condition where the animals can thrive in, even following monsoon season. Since most of the animals that were transported are herbivores, they never struggle to find food. If predators like lions or cheetahs were brought in, it would have posed a larger challenge to find a permanent food source for them in such a small island. Furthermore, the newer generations of animals may have adjusted better to the island’s conditions over the years than their ancestors as well.
4. Central Park, New York, USA
Central Park, New York
http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/images/Central_Park_aerial_v-1297.jpg
Diversity: 2
Array of Species: Adequate Biodiversity
Set of Abiotic Components: Average
Energy/Food Sources: Adequate Energy/Food Sources
There is a very specific reason as to why Central Park within the Big Apple, is on the list. Not only is Central Park home to a diverse range of species, it also houses many rare microorganisms within its soil. Recent soil sampling in Central Park resulted in new discoveries of rare and uncharacterized organisms in the soil.
Furthermore, Central Park is home to over 25,000 plant species as well as over 300 species of animals. The park has a somewhat diverse array of organisms, although most of the common mammals in the park include squirrels, raccoons and chipmunks. There are also around 235 species of birds that Central Park home.
The well maintained Central Park is a great location for birds to stay during their migration. The diverse trees provide shelter while the lake is a great source for food and water. Looking past the plant life and birds of Central Park, the mammals that inhabit there are not very diverse from each other, and can be found wandering in the streets of cities like Vancouver.
5. Europa, Moon of Jupiter
Europa
photorator.com/photos/images/europa-the-ice-moon-of-jupiter--22261.png
Diversity: 1-4
Array of Species: Any
Set of Abiotic Components: Small (Just enough for life to form)
Energy/Food Sources: Little Energy/Food Sources (Enough for life forms to survive on)
Although Europa is outside of our planet, and no forms of life have been found outside of our planet, this moon has been adding to the list to keep things interesting as it is the one location in our solar system that is most likely to have life in it. For this celestial ecosystem, only abiotics components of the moon will be discussed because proof of life has not been found on the moon yet. Therefore, it will be assumed that life on Europa exists in this article, as biotic components, as in living organisms, have to interact with abiotic components in an ecosystem. The abiotic components in Europa are the biggest hints towards signs of life. In Earth, life is found wherever water is found. Under Europa’s thick ice cap, a liquid ocean has been believed to exist. As Jupiter emits radiation, the thick ice cap on the surface of Europa is believed to act as a shield to block the radiation away from the ocean. Currently, projects are under works to study more about Europa and send a probe to it. Perhaps if life and an ecosystem is discovered in Europa, the new organisms could have entirely different and unknown genetic codons or new alleles we never knew before. The possibilities are endless.