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How is physical and biological disruptions affect ecosystems? Also, how does wolf populations affect the population of elk and willows?

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How is physical and biological disruptions affect ecosystems? Also, how does wolf populations affect the population of elk and willows?

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Physical disruptions affect ecosystems by wind, rain, predation and earthquakes. They are all examples of natural processes which impact an ecosystem. Humans also affect ecosystems by reducing habitat, over-hunting, broadcasting pesticides or fertilizers, and other influences.

Biological disruptions affect ecosystems by molecular in cellular level and by destructions to larger biological systems, such as ecosystems. An example of a inside disruption at the cellular level might be dehydration, or a lack of water.

Wolf populations affect the population of elk by altering the abundance, distribution, group sizes, movements and vigilance of elk. "There are some indications that these interactions may be causing new growth in willows as elk are kept on the move by wolves and don't stay to browse in any one area very long." Elk are also the primary prey for wolves, comprising 92 percent of kills during the winter. "Counts of elk decreased significantly from 16,791 in winter 1995 to 8,335 in winter 2004 as the number of wolves on the northern range increased from 21 to 106." Factors contributing to this decrease by wolf predation.

Wolf populations affect the population of willows by temperatures increasing and reduced precipitation. Trees such as cottonwood, willow, aspen and other woody species have been showing signs of accelerated growth in many areas since wolves were restored to the park in 1995." This happened because new vegetation helped reduce erosion. Erosion happens when plants provide protective cover on the land and prevent erosion for the following reasons:

Plants slow down water as it flows over the land and this allows much of the rain to soak into the ground.

Plant roots hold the soil in position and prevent it from being blown or washed away.

Willow trees were growing along the river banks, again, because the wolves were keeping the elk, who used to graze on willow, aspen, and cottonwood, on the move much more often. "More trees means less erosion."

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How does carrying capacity, prey/predator population, and competition affect an ecosystem?

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How does carrying capacity, prey/predator population, and competition affect an ecosystem?

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Carrying capacity is the largest population size that an ecosystem can sustainably support without degrading the ecosystem. To a certain extent, population numbers are self-regulating because deaths increase when a population exceeds its carrying capacity. Disease, competition, predator-prey interaction, resource use and the number of populations in an ecosystem all affect carrying capacity.

A change in the size of one population affects all other organisms within the ecosystem. This is shown particularly clearly by the relationship between predator and prey populations. If the prey population in an ecosystem grows, predator numbers will respond to the increased food supply by increasing as well. Growing predator numbers will eventually reduce the food supply to the point where it can no longer sustain the predator population ... and so on.

Competition is an interaction between organisms or species in which both the organisms or species are harmed. Competition both within and between species is an important topic in ecology, especially community ecology. Competition is one of many interacting biotic and abiotic factors that affect community structure.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIXAytRvDQ0&t=2145s

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hxvrTB_xh4FNApoJqDb-4pfaNj_-4BP11V8z_u6ZB1E/edit?usp=sharing

https://www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/gray-wolves-impact-elk

https://prezi.com/kqpemmerxn_j/biological-systems-are-affected-by-disruptions-to-their-home/

https://didyouknowfacts.com/facts/did-you-kno-wolves-can-shape-the-ecosystem-and/

https://didyouknowfacts.com/wolves-power-bend-streams/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=ysa5OBhXz-Q

https://www.google.com/search?ei=ujGfWt3HLMW4tQW_h4qABg&q=how+does+vegetation+help+reduce+erosion&oq=how+does+vegetation+help+reduce+erosion&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i71k1l8.0.0.0.352579.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c..64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.x7m3wngBqjQ

http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/erosion/erosion.htm

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http://www.pbs.org/strangedays/episodes/predators/experts/yellowstonewolves.html

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_aTV0XFRKI82d7_CuKE1UHL-tfEJBSqITywKJEZd-C8/edit#slide=id.p

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Many scientists describe that predators and prey exist in a balance. This "balance of nature" hypothesis has been criticized by some scientists because it suggests a relationship between predators and prey that is good and necessary. Opponents of this hypothesis propose the following questions:

Why is death by predators more natural or "right" then death by starvation?

How does one determine when an ecosystem is in "balance"?

Do predators really kill only the old and sick prey? What evidence is there for this statement?

What is your opinion of the balance of nature hypothesis? Would the deer be better off, worse off, or about the same without the wolves. Defend your position.
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My opinion of the balance of the nature hypothesis is that the deer would be probably worse off. Wolves keep deer population under control and eliminate sick animals. Without wolves, a deer could have any number of birth defects, weak heart, poor vision, no camo, slow speed, but still live and pass on its genes and then there the world would be filled with non-healthy animals and we won't be able to eat the deer because of the diseases in the deer. Also the natural balance is important. Wolves can have a far reaching impact beyond disease and population control which are very important. (See link to understand)

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https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/beaver.htm

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ebx1ImGvsAhV8bIrhVCQA_5OWItw6VnMxp7Ig9z32sQ/edit#slide=id.g2c5f0cc202_0_158

https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/elk.htm

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16NrzgBDfxpAehcaeGr

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16NrzgBDfxpAehcaeGrADQkC7dPte9RohIhSdkP6mZyU/edit

https://www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/wolf-reintroduction-changes

https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/moose.htm

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HqFun4SWCQF4OnjCn4aMs64lsIB2JMNB7l-6oRovOfw/edit#slide=id.p

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Throughout the past 40 years, populations of Elk, Moose, Wolves, and Beavers have changed in the Yellowstone area.

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Throughout the past 40 years, populations of Elk, Moose, Wolves, and Beavers have changed in the Yellowstone area.

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The population for beavers has changed because the have supply to build there dams. The reason is because the wolves kill the elk and the elk like to the trees they build. But if there are no more trees to build with, they will have no supply's to build their dams with.

Population in the Elks could change by people. Population could change by people because “Elks are one of the most photographed animals in yellow stone because of their antlers.” If people keep trying to get close to the elk and take their picture, then the elk will be scared and run away. They may not even come back. We should keep our distance from the Elk and not disturb them.

The population for moose has changed in the last 40 years due to  to loss of old growth forests surrounding the park, hunting outside the park, burning of habitat, ticks, and predators. In Yellow Stone there are "fewer than 200" living there.

The population in wolves could change if there is plenty to eat. The population for wolves could rise! "The wolf has an important role in the Yellowstone ecosystem, because when a top predator such as the Gray Wolf is reintroduced to the Yellowstone ecosystem it manages the population of prey, such as elk. This is important because all the grass the Elk eats will disappear, because there’s a big population of Elk. With a predator like the wolf, the grass will continue to be a normal population, as well as the elk, because the wolf in a way controls the ecosystem."

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BBC - GCSE Bitesize: Predator and prey populations

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FPflCARXiI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RDYVVmVR2U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DojGPBV4U0w&t=139s

https://www.livingwithwolves.org/wolf-issues/the-political-debate/

https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/17020.htm

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Should the wolves in Yellowstone be protected by the Endangered Species Act?

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Should the wolves in Yellowstone be protected by the Endangered Species Act?

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My stance on wolves in Yellow Stone is that they should be protected by the Endangered Species Act. One reason is that "in 1995 and again in 1996, gray wolves were captured in Canada and relocated to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho. Since reintroduction, wolves have dispersed throughout the region, returning to ecosystems that had long suffered in their absence" This means wolves have been disappearing! Another reason is in the "...2016 report, nationally most park visitor spending was for lodging...followed by food and beverages..." If all of those empty food wrappers and empty beverages don't get into a trash the wildlife could eat the trash thinking that it is food and could die! One thing to remember while you are there is to take care of your surroundings, such as picking up after yourself and putting things back where you found them so you don't kill the animals.