Ecosystem Earth Wealth

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Ecosystem

 

 An Ecosystem is a combination of two words "Ecological" and " system", that is the collection of biotic and abiotic components and processes that comprise, and govern the behavior of some defined subset  to the biosphere.
 Ecosystems are composed of organisms interacting with each other and with their environment such that energy is exchanged and system-level processes, such as the cycling of elements, emerge. The ecosystem is a core concept in Biology and Ecology, serving as the level of biological organization in which organisms interact simultaneously with each other and with their environment
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving, physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight. It is all the organisms in a given area, along with the nonliving (abiotic) factors with which they interact; a biological community and its physical environment
The ecosystem is the combination of a-biotic and biotic components of environment. The ecosystem involves a-biotic environment which is also known as physical environment like rocks, rivers, climate, soil, atmosphere, air etc, and biotic environment like animals human and trees and all living beings. Ecological system or ecosystem is an open space built by physical and biological components of an environment.
The components of ecosystem are biotic component and a-biotic component
Ecosystems are functional units consisting of living things in a given area, non-living chemical and physical factors of their environment, linked together through nutrient cycle and energy flow,Food Chains

Classification

         1. Natural ecosystem
it is classified into two parts
         1. Terrestrial ecosystem
Terrestrial ecosystem is a community of organisms and their relationship with environment on the landmasses of Islands and continents.  Terrestrial ecosystems account 28.2% of the planet's surface.
All types of forest, deserts, trees, plants, and grasslands etc are said to be terrestrial ecosystem.
Ecosystems which are found on land, air, trees, underground in soil is know as Terrestrial Ecosystem
Few examples are:
    * Forest Ecosystem
    * Sahara Desert Ecosystem
    * A Grassland  Ecosystem
    * A Semi-forest Ecosystem
    * An ecosystem on a snow field
    * A Scrubland ecosystem
    * A Cold desert ecosystem
    * Wetland ecosystem
    * Wild Life Sanctuaries, National Parks, Animal Reserves

Forest Ecosystem

    Forests can be divided further into four different subgroups, but all of these have a dense tree population and medium to high levels of precipitation in common. Tropical rain forests are home to a great diversity of animals. The climate is hot with excessive rainfall, and vegetation grows in several layers from the forest floor to the canopy. The forests of India and eastern Brazil, however, have specific seasons of rain and dry weather. These forests are called tropical deciduous forests. Coastal coniferous and temperate deciduous forests flank the west and east coasts of the U.S., respectively. They experience four seasons, and only moderate rainfall. The northern Canadian forests are predominately coniferous and experience long sub-arctic winters.

Grassland Ecosystem
      In a grassland ecosystem, many stands of trees are eradicated by brush fires and dry periods (though single trees and a few tree stands do survive). However, the grasslands, as their name indicates, receive sufficient precipitation to sustain different varieties of grasses. Today, many grasslands are becoming endangered because of farmers allowing their herds of animals to overgraze. The grasslands are subdivided into tropical grasslands (also known as the savannas); temperate grasslands, like the prairies of the Midwest in the United States; and the polar grasslands like the northern Canadian tundra.

Deserts Ecosystem
      Deserts are ecosystems with hardy inhabitants, able to survive in an environment that receives less than 25cm of rainfall annually. The desert is home to plants that lie dormant until it rains, then they bloom and spread their seeds, which then lie dormant until the next major rainfall. It is also home to plants capable of storing their own water, such as cacti. Many desert animals survive the searing heat by burrowing or living in caves. These animals are largely nocturnal, staying underground during the heat of the day and foraging for food at night when it is cool.

Mountainous Ecosystems
      Mountainous ecosystems can often be home to several smaller ecosystems, including meadows or forest regions. Because of steep elevation changes between peaks and valleys, mountainous regions can be quite varied in their climates. Mountain regions are quite sensitive to human impact.

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          2. Aquatic ecosystem

Aqatic ecosystem is a community of organisms that are based on water bodies and maintain relationship with their aqatic environment.  Aquatic ecosytem covers approximately 71% of the earth's surface
    * This type of ecosystem located in water area located in water area like sea, lake, pond, pools, ditch, river etc.

     * It is divided into two parts- Marine ecosystem and freshwater ecosystem. Ecosystem disposes are purifying water, sheltering wild animals and recharging ground water.
    * Freshwater, this may be Iotic like stream, river etc and lentic like lake, pond, pools, ditch, swamp etc.
               1. Lentic, the ecosystem of a lake, pond or swamp.
               2. Lotic, the ecosystem of a river, stream or spring.
A few components of an aquatic ecosystem
pond layers - Like in a forest, the top, middle, and bottom of a pond can be vastly different from each other, and even the layers in between. Under different temperature or light conditions the water in a pond can vary greatly in oxygen, clarity, and other factors that effect were plants and animals might live. The air above the pond and the land below the pond are important as well, as those provide space for animals to live, plants to root, and predators and prey to interact.

diversity - while many people think of a pond as just a small lake with frogs and fish, there are thousands of differents species of plants and animals living together in a natural pond. The more diverse a pond is (more species that it has) the stronger and healthier it is.
micro-organisms - some of the most imortant plants and animals in a pond are so small they are difficult to see without a microscope. They are called "micro-organisms" (micro=small, organism=life form) and while a few may cause disease, almost all are very beneficial and important to a pond ecosystem. While bigger animals may fly, walk, or swim away to other ponds, micro-organisms are always present in large numbers.
macro-organisms - larger plants and animals that are easy to see on a pond are called "macro-organisms (macro=large). They are the plants and animals that we often notice first, and can more easily spread from pond to pond.
Aquatic systems can be found at River Bend
    * Marsh - shallow water with non-woody plants growing above water level
    * Swamp - like a marsh but with bushes and trees growing from the water as well
    * Pond - a small and shallow body of water with plants growing above water level only on the edges; generally freezes solid during winter.
    * River - a moving body of water that flows from one place to another.
    * Stream - smaller than a river, may even dry up sometimes
    * Puddles - and body of water that lasts for a few days or more may attract aquatic life
    * Spring - area where underground water is discharged onto the land suface forming a pond or stream
Aquatic systems can be found on Earth
    * lake     * ocean     * creek     * lagoon     * bog     * sea     * glacier     * tidal pool     * geyser     * fen  
    * flood plain     * bog    * estuary    * aquifer    * salt lake

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 3.  Artificial ecosystem

 Artificial, ecosystems created by humans.
An artificial ecosystem is an ecosystem made by man. An artificial ecosystem is something like an animal reserve or a giant terrarium, one example, a zoo.

    * The artificial ecosystem is also known as man-made or man-engineered ecosystems. All types of artificial ecosystems are introduce and managed by man.

    * Gardens are also artificial ecosystem that are made and maintained by human. We can add any type of plant according to our likeness in the garden.
Artificial ecosystem are created and maintained artificially by human beings where, by addition of energy and deliberatemanagement, balance of the nature is disturbed regularly, e.g. croplands likemaize, sugarcane, rice-fields, wheat, orchards, villages, gardens, dams, aquarium, cities, and manned spaceship. The basic components biotic and abiotic components are defined by man in artificial ecosystem.
Artificial ecosystems are the ecosystem which are created and maintained by human beings. They are also referred as man engineered ecosystem or man-made ecosystem. The biotic and abiotic components of the artificial ecosystem are defined and maintained by the man.These are maintained by man by addition of energy.  Artificial ecosystems disturb the natural balance.
Among the two types of ecosystems artificial ecosytem disturbs the natural balance and causing many adverse effects. eg: ozone depletion, greenhouse effect etc.  In order to maintain proper balance in natural environment there should be control of artificial ecosystems.  Other wise there will be no more natural ecosystem remains on the planet.

Peril (Risk) Of ecosystems

A food chain shows an energy relationship. A plant captures sunlight and uses it for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process that is happened in plants and tress to make food themselves.

When an insect eats the planet, the insects gets some of the energy. If a bird eats the insects, the energy is transferred to one more time. this is the Energy flow of ecosystems. Fertilizers get in the lake and cause more algae than usual to grow. the increased algae results in the death of evn more members of the community.

Soon, the balanced ecosystem no longer exists. People are changing ecosystems like the lake example of all time. Air, Water and land pollution cause changes to the environment. Using natural resources, even fossil fuel, changes the environment.

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Wind Power Earth Wealth

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Wind Power    

Introduction
 
Humans have been using wind power for at least 5,500 years to propel sailboats and sailing ships. Windmills have been used for irrigation pumping and for milling grain since the 7th century AD in what is now Afghanistan, India, Iran and Pakistan.

In the United States, the development of the "water-pumping windmill" was the major factor in allowing the farming and ranching of vast areas otherwise devoid of readily accessible water. Windpumps contributed to the expansion of rail transport systems throughout the world, by pumping water from water wells for the steam locomotives.. The multi-bladed wind turbine atop a lattice tower made of wood or steel was, for many years, a fixture of the landscape throughout rural America. When fitted with generators and battery banks, small wind machines provided electricity to isolated farms.

Wind formation

Wind is a phenomenon that occurs caused by the uneven heating of the Earth's surface in combination with the spinning of the planet on its axis.
Wind is the natural movement of air across the land or sea. Wind is caused by uneven heating and cooling of the earth's surface and by the earth's rotation. Land and water areas absorb and release different amount of heat received from the sun. As warm air rises, cooler air rushes in to take its place, causing local winds. The rotation of the earth changes the direction of the flow of air.
Wind power all starts with the sun. When the sun heats up a certain area of land, the air around that land mass absorbs some of that heat. At a certain temperature, that hotter air begins to rise very quickly because a given volume of hot air is lighter than an equal volume of cooler air. Faster-moving (hotter) air particles exert more pressure than slower-moving particles, so it takes fewer of them to maintain the normal air pressure at a given elevation (see How Hot Air Balloons Work to learn more about air temperature and pressure). When that lighter hot air suddenly rises, cooler air flows quickly in to fill the gap the hot air leaves behind. That air rushing in to fill the gap is wind.
If you place an object like a rotor blade in the path of that wind, the wind will push on it, transferring some of its own energy of motion to the blade. This is how a wind turbine captures energy from the wind

Wind to wind energy to electrical energy
Wind electric generator converts kinetic energy available in wind to electrical energy by using rotor, gearbox and generator. The wind turns the blades of a windmill-like machine. The rotating blades turn the shaft to which they are attached. The turning shaft typically can either power a pump or turn a generator, which produces electricity.
The amount of energy produced by a wind machine depends upon the wind speed and the size of the blades in the machine. In general, when the wind speed doubles, the power produced increases eight times. Larger blades capture more wind. As the diameter of the circle formed by the blades doubles, the power increases four times.

 Wind turbine works

A wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, a turbine uses wind to make electricity.

The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity. The electricity is sent through transmission and distribution lines to a substation, then on to homes, business and schools.
The typical wind turbine is a slender structure that consists of a three-bladed rotor that extends up to 300 feet in diameter attached to the top of tall towers that soar hundreds of feet into the air. A yaw mechanism uses electrical motors to turn the nacelle with the rotor against the wind. An electronic controller senses the wind direction using a wind vane.
    If the electricity to be generated will only be used to supply one building or household, one turbine will suffice. The Earth is capable of producing 72 TW or 72,000,000,000,000 Watts of power. That’s way above humanity’s current consumption. Also, since wind never gets consumed, it has that advantage over more traditional sources of energy that use fossil fuels.
The diagram below shows some of the pieces and parts inside a wind turbine:


Good's of Wind power ( ADVANTAGES OF WIND POWER: )    Popular


1)The wind is free and with modern technology it can be captured efficiently.
2). Once the wind turbine is built the energy it produces does not cause green house gases or other pollutants.
3). Although wind turbines can be very tall each takes up only a small plot of land. This means that the land below can still be used. This is especially the case in agricultural areas as farming can still continue.
4). Many people find wind farms an interesting feature of the landscape.
5.) Remote areas that are not connected to the electricity power grid can use wind turbines to produce their own supply.
6). Wind turbines have a role to play in both the developed and third world.
7). Wind turbines are available in a range of sizes which means a vast range of people and businesses can use them. Single households to small towns and villages can make good use of range of wind turbines available today.
8) Wind energy is generally 'environment friendly'.
 9) Good wind potential to harness wind energy.
10)A permanent shield against ever increasing power prices. The cost per kwh reduces over a period of time as against rising cost for conventional power projects.
11) The cheapest source of electrical energy. (on a levelled cost over 20 years.)
12)Low cost Loans is easily available to wind energy projects.
13)A project with the fastest payback period.
14)A real fast track power project, with the lowest gestation period; and a modular concept.
 15)Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs are low.
 16)No marketing risks, as the product is electrical energy.

Bad's of Wind power (DISADVANTAGES OF WIND POWER: ) Limitations

1). The strength of the wind is not constant and it varies from zero to storm force. This means that wind turbines do not produce the same amount of electricity all the time. There will be times when they produce no electricity at all.
2). Many people feel that the countryside should be left untouched, without these large structures being built. The landscape should left in its natural form for everyone to enjoy.
3.) Wind turbines are noisy. Each one can generate the same level of noise as a family car travelling at 70 mph.
4). Many people see large wind turbines as unsightly structures and not pleasant or interesting to look at. They disfigure the countryside and are generally ugly.
5). When wind turbines are being manufactured some pollution is produced. Therefore wind power does produce some pollution.
6). Large wind farms are needed to provide entire communities with enough electricity. For example, the largest single turbine available today can only provide enough electricity for 475 homes, when running at full capacity. How many would be needed for a town of 100 000 people?
 7) Wind machines must be located where strong, dependable winds are available most of the time.
8). Because winds do not blow strongly enough to produce power all the time, energy from wind machines is considered "intermittent," that is, it comes and goes. Therefore, electricity from wind machines must have a back-up supply from another source.
9) As wind power is "intermittent," utility companies can use it for only part of their total energy needs.
10). Wind towers and turbine blades are subject to damage from high winds and lighting. Rotating parts, which are located high off the ground can be difficult and expensive to repair.
11) Electricity produced by wind power sometimes fluctuates in voltage and power factor, which can cause difficulties in linking its power to a utility system.
12) The noise made by rotating wind machine blades can be annoying to nearby neighbours.
13). People have complained about aesthetics of and avian mortality from wind machines