Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Boxes
- Preface
- Prologue Environmental changes and ecosystem effects: two historical examples
- Section I History and concepts
- Section II Ecosystem structure and function
- Section III Ecosystem dynamics at different time scales
- Section IV Applications
- Appendix 1 Abbreviations
- Appendix 2 Glossary
- Appendix 3 Some useful values and symbols used to represent them
- Appendix 4 Information and data on selected ecosystems
- References
- Index
- Plate section
Section II - Ecosystem structure and function
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Boxes
- Preface
- Prologue Environmental changes and ecosystem effects: two historical examples
- Section I History and concepts
- Section II Ecosystem structure and function
- Section III Ecosystem dynamics at different time scales
- Section IV Applications
- Appendix 1 Abbreviations
- Appendix 2 Glossary
- Appendix 3 Some useful values and symbols used to represent them
- Appendix 4 Information and data on selected ecosystems
- References
- Index
- Plate section
Summary
Ecosystem structure and function
This is the major section of the book. We describe how the structure of an ecosystem can be seen as an interaction between two mutually dependent sub-systems: vegetation and soil. The vegetation is a purely biological system, but it is embedded in an abiotic environment and, therefore, we need to understand the micrometeorological environment for the aboveground components, and soil physical and chemical conditions for the roots. Hence, energy and water balances are part of ecosystem ecology. These factors also determine soil biological processes.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Terrestrial Ecosystem EcologyPrinciples and Applications, pp. 39Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011