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Topic: Terrestrial Ecosystems

	Terrestrial Ecosystems - Overview (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-02)
		Terrestrial ecosystems include a rich variety of community types and cover a range extending from nearly aquatic wetlands along our coasts and myriad rivers, lakes, and streams, to mountain tops and arid, desert locations.
		The whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) ecosystem of the western mountains is endangered because of the combined effects of an introduced disease and fire suppression.
		Although we now realize that fire is a natural and necessary part of many ecosystems, it was not until after the devastating fires of Yellowstone National Park that the general public was alerted to the benefits of such fires (Elfring 1989).
	biology.usgs.gov /s+t/noframe/m1291.htm (807 words)

	CRInfo: The Conflict Resolution Information Source -
		Terrestrial Ecosystems is the text chosen by Dr. Tim Seastedt for the EPO biology course Ecosystem Ecology (EPOB 4170/5170).
		They outline the important characteristics of terrestrial ecosystems; their relationship to major vegetation and soil types; correlations between climate and ecosystem structure and variation within climatic regions.
		This section examines disturbance, succession and ecosystem function in three different systems: fire and succession in the taiga forests on interior Alaska; interactions among vegetation, herbivores and predators in the Serengeti and the absence of fire andherbivory in the northern hardwood forests of New England.
	www.crinfo.org /booksummary/10002 (718 words)

	State of the Environment - South Africa:Terrestrial Ecosystems: Overview
		Terrestrial resources are rapidly disappearing however, due to conversion of natural habitat to farmland, forestry, human settlement, and industrial development.
		A high proportion of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna and the flora of South Africa is preserved in the country's582 public and private nature reserves in the form of breeding populations, with a few exceptions.
		However, on-going monitoring of change in terrestrial ecosystems, and in particular quantitative data on the extent of degradation and land transformation, are priorities for further research.
	www.ngo.grida.no /soesa/nsoer/issues/land/index.htm (2050 words)

	Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-02)
		Ecosystems are subject to many pressures, such as land-use changes, deposition of nutrients and pollutants, harvesting, grazing by livestock, introduction of exotic species, and natural climate variability.
		Hence, the terrestrial uptake may be caused more by change in uses and management of land than by the direct effects of elevated CO and climate.
		The degree to which terrestrial ecosystems continue to be net sinks for carbon is uncertain because of the complex interactions between the aforementioned factors (e.g., arctic terrestrial ecosystems and wetlands may act as sources and sinks) (medium confidence).
	www.grida.no /climate/ipcc_tar/wg2/033.htm (1290 words)

	SOFIA - PP 1011 - Ecosystems of south Florida - Freshwater and Terrestrial - Relations between systems
		The natural freshwater swamp, marsh, and terrestrial systems of south Florida whose extents are shown in figure 5 lie within five physiographic regions (fig.
		Each is controlled, in part, by the moisture in the soil or by the duration and the depth of inundation; these in turn are determined by the amounts and frequency of rainfall, the infiltration capacity of the soil and underlying bedrock, and by land elevation.
		Hurricanes and tropical storms affect ecosystems through their local and immediate destruction and through their more extensive and long-term alterations such as salting of land by tidal flooding and changing of coastal elevations and outlines.
	sflwww.er.usgs.gov /publications/papers/pp1011/ecosystems.html (1105 words)

	RangeView: Terrestrial Ecosystem Survey (TES)
		Terrestrial ecosystem survey (TES) consists of the systematic analysis, classification and mapping of terrestrial ecosystems.
		A terrestrial ecosystem is an integrated representation of the ecological relationship between climate, soil and vegetation.
		The general terrestrial ecosystem survey (GTES) is available for the Region at a mapped scale of 1:250000.
	rangeview.arizona.edu /glossary/tes.html (415 words)

	APPENDIX A - TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
		Ecosystem assessment and restoration – habitat assessment and restoration.
		In the Florida Keys, the persistence of salt marsh ecosystems and buttonwood associations is limited primarily by (1) freshwater input, (2) substrate competition with mangroves, (4) tidal range and wave energy, (5) local relief and (6) human activities, including mosquito control measures and coastal development (Carlton 1977, Montague and Wiegert 1990).
		The soils of this ecosystem are poorly drained, have high sulfur content, and can be muck or sandy clay loams underlain by loamy sand, or organic soils underlain by clay or sand, or all clay (NRCS 1989).
	www.saj.usace.army.mil /projects/appaterreco.htm (6807 words)

	Terrestrial Carbon Processes (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-02)
		Research provides scientific knowledge of terrestrial components of the global carbon cycle – for the purposes of accurate predictions of atmospheric CO change, evaluating terrestrial sources and sinks for CO, and assessing effectiveness of ecosystem processes for controlling and squestering CO thereby slowing the rate of atmospheric CO increase.
		Terrestrial ecosystems play an important role in this process and fundamental TCP research provides the scientific foundation for estimating the capacity of ecosystems to sequester and store the considerable quantities of CO anticipated from fossil sources in the future.
		Mechanistic terrestrial carbon models for evaluating the role of the biosphere in atmospheric CO changes, and the influence of climate and other feedbacks on the biogeochemical cycle of carbon.
	www.er.doe.gov /OBER/CCRD/tcp.html (706 words)

	An overview of the implications of global change for natural and managed terrestrial ecosystems
		Ecosystem responses are considered in terms of changes in function and vegetation composition/structure.
		The potential for terrestrial ecosystems to absorb significant amounts of CO, thus slowing the buildup of CO in the atmosphere and reducing the rate of climate change, is a key issue in the debate on CO emission controls.
		An example of such a lag effect is the diminishing ability of the terrestrial biosphere to absorb carbon as both atmospheric CO concentrations and temperatures increase.
	www.ecologyandsociety.org /vol1/iss2/art2 (5614 words)

	Terrestrial Ecosystem Model
		The Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM) is a process-based ecosystem model that describes carbon and nitrogen dynamics of plants and soils for terrestrial ecosystems of the globe.
		NOTE: When TEM is run in "equilibrium" mode, all carbon and nitrogen fluxes within terrestrial ecosystems are assumed to be balanced and annual carbon and nitrogen inputs to the ecosystem are equal to annual losses.
		Terrestrial ecosystems act as a sink of atmospheric CO when NEP is positive and act as a source of CO when NEP is negative.
	www.mbl.edu /eco42 (897 words)

	Terrestrial Ecosystems
		The exchange of trace carbon and nitrogen gases between terrestrial systems and the air also is dependent on these processes.
		This section on terrestrial ecosystems reviews actual and potential effects of UV-B (direct and indirect) on carbon and mineral nutrient cycling and trace gas exchange.
		Although terrestrial plants are believed to be an important sink of carbonyl sulfide, (OCS), the most concentrated sulfur gas in the lower atmosphere, no data are available on the effects of enhanced UV-B on plant uptake of OCS.
	www.gcrio.org /UNEP1998/UNEP98p48.html (2498 words)

	DOE - Fossil Energy: Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-02)
		Another important area of research in terrestrial sequestration is the development of technologies for quantifying carbon stored in a given ecosystem.
		Terrestrial carbon sequestration is defined as either the net removal of CO2 from the atmosphere or the prevention of CO2 net emissions from the terrestrial ecosystems into the atmosphere.
		There are two fundamental approaches to sequestering carbon in terrestrial ecosystems: (1) protection of ecosystems that store carbon so that carbon stores can be maintained or increased; and (2) manipulation of ecosystems to increase carbon sequestration beyond current conditions.
	www.fe.doe.gov /programs/sequestration/terrestrial/index.html (411 words)

	MIT Integrated Framework: Terrestrial Ecosystems
		And changes in natural ecosystems, as predicted by TEM, are used as a measure of terrestrial effects, or as inputs to analysis of the impact of climate change on agriculture.
		The Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM) depicted in the schematic is used for predictions of the future state of ecosystems and the fluxes of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the land biosphere.
		TEM is a process-based ecosystem model that simulates important carbon and nitrogen fluxes and pools for 18 terrestrial ecosystems.
	web.mit.edu /globalchange/www/tem.html (1239 words)

	Island Ecosystems Programme - Pacific Regional Environment Programme (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-02)
		The Islands Ecosystems programme focuses on developing the capacities of the peoples of the islands to equip them to sustainably manage and conserve the terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems of Pacific islands.
		SPREP’s core business under the Islands Ecosystems programme is to address the issues of ecosystem conservation, the sustainable management of natural resources and the protection of priority threatened species, from the threats of human-induced impacts, invasive species and living modified organisms.
		As the dominant ecosystems of most SPREP members, coastal and marine environments will be the focus of considerable attention throughout the life of the plan.
	www.sprep.org.ws /programme/island_eco.htm (835 words)

	Environmental effects of ozone depletion: Interim Summary September, 1999
		The assessment is given in seven sections: changes in ultraviolet radiation, effects on human and animal health, effects on terrestrial ecosystems, effects on aquatic ecosystems, effects on biogeochemical cycles, effects on air quality, and effects on materials.
		Recent studies concentrating on the ecosystem level have indicated that short wavelength solar radiation alters the community structure and development, and the succession of species because of differences in organism sensitivity.
		These recent results have shown that the effects of UV-B on trace gas exchange are closely linked to changes in the composition of freshwater and marine environments, such as shifts in organic carbon and iron concentrations, that are known to be sensitive to changes in climate and human activities.
	www.gcrio.org /ozone/unep1999summary.html (2479 words)

	Terrestrial Ecosystems (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-02)
		Specifically, nutrient and water balances within ecosystems are examined and the methods for their measurement discussed.
		This section examines disturbance, succession and ecosystem function in three different systems: fire and succession in the taiga forests on interior Alaska; interactions among vegetation, herbivores and predators in the Serengeti and the absence of fire and herbivory in the northern hardwood forests of New England.
		It discusses agricultural ecosystems which resulted from the activities of indigenous peoples and those which result from modern intensive agricultural practices.
	www.colorado.edu /conflict/full_text_search/EnvAbstracts/aberterr.htm (583 words)

	Terrestrial Paleozoic Ecosystems
		The Paleozoic was the time during which terrestrial ecosystems were organized and assembled.
		Because the plants were at the base of the major terrestrial radiation, they evolved increasing tolerances to demanding physical conditions and expanded the extent of the vegetated land surface.
		This expansion into unoccupied parts of the terrestrial environment was accompanied by an increase in local and regional vegetational heterogeneity, a consequence of local variation in both physical conditions and evolutionary dynamics.
	www.kheper.net /evolution/biota/Paleozoic_terrestrial.html (729 words)

	Notice 97-02
		Various global-scale environmental changes that are known or have the potential to affect terrestrial ecosystems have already been documented (e.g., increasing atmospheric CO2 and other trace gases, global average increase in temperature, decreasing stratospheric ozone and increases in tropospheric ozone, and land transformations, including changes in land cover and land use).
		Presently, what is lacking is an understanding of the potential combined effects of global-scale environmental changes on essential ecosystem components, functions, and processes, particularly the effects of multiple and interacting environmental changes such as changes in climate and atmospheric composition and land transformations that are outside the range normally experienced by terrestrial ecosystems.
		It is hypothesized that ecosystems are changing or will change in response to climate and land use changes of the past century and predicted future changes due to the enhanced greenhouse effect and increasing demands on land for food, fiber, and other human uses.
	www.er.doe.gov /production/grants/fr97_02.html (2793 words)

	Terrestrial Ecosystems : Natural Resources and Environment : University of Michigan (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-02)
		Terrestrial ecosystems extend from uplands to wetlands, which form the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
		The scientific principles underlying the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems can be used to manage them in an ecologically appropriate manner.
		Building upon the Terrestrial Ecosystems field of study, the school's interdisciplinary orientation trains students to analyze environmental problems from many perspectives.
	www.snre.umich.edu /degree_programs/terrestial_ecosystems.php (824 words)

	Carbon Sequestration in Terrestrial Ecosystems, CSiTE
		Scientific understanding of carbon capture and sequestration mechanisms in terrestrial ecosystems across multiple scales from the molecular to the landscape,
		Carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems can be defined as the net removal of CO from the atmosphere into long-lived pools of carbon.
		At this scale ecosystems are the key functional units for estimating productivity and carbon sequestration, and for assessing potentially deleterious impacts associated with efforts to increase carbon in ecosystems.
	csite.esd.ornl.gov (312 words)

	USGS: Science Topics: ecosystems
		This program is focused on the study of fishes, fisheries, aquatic invertebrates, and aquatic habitats, and evaluates factors that affect aquatic organism health, population fitness, biological diversity, and aquatic community and habitat function.
		Coastal ecosystem research at the Western Ecological Research Center with summaries of current projects and fact sheets on research studies (PDF format).
		Chapter entitled Coastal and Marine Ecosystems from the publication Our Living Resources with articles on fish assemblages, manatees, seagrass, reef fishes, coral reef ecosystems, coastal ecosystems, and wetlands.
	www.usgs.gov /science/science.php?term=319 (433 words)

	Ecosystems/Habitats
		Specific projects with a terrestrial focus also include development of long-term monitoring protocols for Denali National Park and Preserve, and a long-term research program on wildlife and habitats of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
		Assessing wildland fire impacts on the winter habitat use and distribution of caribou within Alaska's interior boreal forest ecosystem.
		ASC-BSO researchers are documenting the resultant ecosystem changes and differentiating between effects due to sea otters and changes in commercial fisheries for species such as crabs, one of the otters’ favorite prey.
	www.absc.usgs.gov /research/programs/ecosystems_habitats.htm (1254 words)

	Global Systems Research in SAGE, UW-Madison
		The Earth's terrestrial (or land-based) ecosystems are critically important to the welfare of humankind.
		In addition, terrestrial ecosystems play a central role in regulating the biogeochemical and climate systems of this planet.
		In fact, we see strong geographic associations between climate and ecosystems, ranging from the tropical rainforests, through the subtropical deserts and temperate forests, all the way to the northern boreal forests and Arctic tundra.
	www.sage.wisc.edu /pages/systems.html (807 words)

	Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems Program
		The Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems (ETE) Program was formed by a group of professional researchers in paleontology who study the evolutionary paleoecology of land ecosystems.
		We share a conviction that long-term patterns of evolutionary change cannot be fully understood without knowledge of changes in ecology (at many scales) over geologic time periods, and an understanding of the interaction between ecological and evolutionary processes.
		The new combined database compiles information from the terrestrial and marine record, but lacks some of the data fields present in the original ETE database.
	www.nmnh.si.edu /ete (258 words)

	Publications of the Wood Hole Research Center, 1996 - 1998
		Missing sinks, feedbacks, and understanding the role of terrestrial ecosystems in the global carbon balance.
		The terrestrial carbon cycle: implications for the Kyoto Protocol.
		Houghton, R. Terrestrial sources and sinks of carbon inferred from terrestrial data.
	www.whrc.org /resources/published_literature/1996-1998.htm (1734 words)

	Terrestrial Ecosystems Protocols
		The Terrestrial Ecosystems Biodiversity Monitoring Protocols have been prepared for the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network by the Biodiversity Science Board’s expert teams and/or individual scientists, or, are endorsed by the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network.
		EMAN Ecosystem Monitoring Protocols (EMPs) for terrestrial systems have been developed or modified from existing protocols which compliment plot-based monitoring programmes or which can be used on their own for more specific research purposes.
		If you are interested in learning about the status of these programmes or other resources available for terrestrial ecosystems please contact the EMAN office.
	www.eman-rese.ca /eman/ecotools/protocols/terrestrial (777 words)

	Ecological Engineering Group
		Key to efficient permaculture design is observing and replicating natural ecosystems, whereby designers maximize diversity with polycultures, stress efficient energy planning for houses and settlements, and use and accelerate natural plant succession.
		The philosophy behind permaculture is one of working with, rather than against nature, of looking at systems in all of their functions, and using them for multiple purposes.
		Permaculture is oriented to place, with reliance on native plants and a close awareness of the ecosystem.
	www.ecological-engineering.com /defs.html (5940 words)

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