Ecosystem Models




BIO326 : Ecosystem : Ecosystem Patterns : Ecosystem Models

Exercise: Ecosystem Models

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DUE: 5-May-2000. Work sent after this date will receive a grade of zero.

1. An ecosystem model has been used to analyze the Aleut Indian culture.

a) In what ways is the model of the Aleut Indian culture similar to the models discussed in the textbook on pages 194-200? In what ways is it different?

b) In what ways would a model such as this one of the Aleut Indian culture contribute to our understanding of the ecosystem it represents?

c) What possible shortcomings would this model of the Aleut Indian culture have as a description of the real ecosytem?

2. The textbook suggested that "low transfer rates place bottlenecks in the path of material flow through a system."

a) Which transfer rates in this system are the low ones?

b) Do you think that these low rates will cause material to build up in the other compartments, as suggested for the model on page 196? Why or why not?

3. The human population in the Aleut Indian culture obtains its carbon from two sources.

a) What percentage of the carbon in each of these two sources does the human population take?

b) With percentages of this magnitude, why is the human population considered such a dominant environmental factor in the world today?

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E-mail Professor Gaud at William.Gaud@nau.edu
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