The Role of Ecosystem - Assignment Example

These abiotic factors are broadly classified into three categories climatic factors, edaphic factors and inorganic substances. Climatic factors include the climate regime and physical factors of the environment such as humidity, atmospheric temperature, wind and light among others. Edaphic factors are related to the structure and composition of soil including its chemical and physical properties such as soil profile, soil type, minerals, soil water, soil organisms and organic matter. The last category of inorganic and organic substances include; water, sulphur, phosphorous, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and human substances.

Biotic factors comprise the living part of the ecosystem. They include any living thing that affects another organism (eoearth.org). The biotic community is divided into heterotrophs, autotrophs and saprotrophs. Autotrophs also known as producers or convertors are photosynthetic plants, generally bearing chlorophyll, which produces high-energy complex organic compounds from inorganic raw materials. In terrestrial ecosystems, autotrophs are mainly rooted plants. Floating plants e.g. phytoplankton and shallow water rooted plants are the autotrophs in aquatic ecosystems.

Heterotrophs are known as consumers, which are generally animals feeding on other organisms. They consist of mainly carnivores and herbivores. Lastly, saprotrophs break down complex organic compounds of dead matter. . These roles are because of natural processes of a total ecological sub-system of that it is a part. In turn, these natural processes result in complex interactions among abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems through the general driving forces of energy and matter (Fisher al et, 648).

The ecosystem has four basic functions; regulatory functions, habitat functions, production functions and information functions. The regulatory group of functions relates to the capacity of both natural and semi-natural ecosystems to regulate essential ecological processes by bio-geochemical cycles and other biosphere processes. Natural ecosystems provide habitat functions. Wild plants and animals take refuge in the natural ecosystem. Consequently, this contributes to the conservation of genetic and biological diversity in the evolutional process.

It also regulates the change and stability of a region. Another function is the production function. Photosynthesis and nutrient uptake by autotrophs converts carbon dioxide, energy, nutrients and water into a wide variety of carbohydrate structure, which is later used by secondary producers to make an even bigger variety of living biomass. This diversity in the structure of carbohydrates provides many ecosystems with goods for human consumption. Lastly, natural ecosystems provide an essential ‘reference function’ and lead to the maintenance of human health by providing opportunities for spiritual enrichment, reflection, and aesthetic and recreation experiences.

The Diablo Range is a mountain range, located in the eastern San Franciso Bay area south of the Salinas Valley area of northern California. It is perceived as an intact ecosystem as it has both biotic and abiotic organisms. It is mainly rolling grassland and plateaus; the elevation is about 2,000- 3,000ft. It has hills rising out of valleys to about 1,000ft at the most. Peaks and ridges in Diablo Ranges are between 2,517 and 5,241ft. The range gets little precipitation since it lies around inland from the ocean and other coastal ranges. Diablo Range is covered mostly by chaparral and California oak woodland communities, together with closed-cone pine forests above 4,000ft. Annual Mediterranean grasses have predominantly replaced native bunch grass savanna. Blooming in spring are plants such as vola pedunculata, fritillaria Liliaceae and Dodecatheon pulchellum. The riparian zones have trees like Coast live oak and Blue oak. The range also attracts raptors, such as Golden Eagle and Red tail hawks. Another habitat in the range includes; the Bay Checkerspot butterfly, Californi Tiger Salamander and Black-tailed deer.