Index 251
characteristics, 100–102
coastal wetlands, 101–102, 104
coast degradation factors and
protection needs, 102–103
ecological characteristics of coast,
101
ecotone, example of, 101
environmental threats, 103
fragmentation of research, 101
geological eras, 100
harsh environmental conditions, 104
hypoxic conditions, 103
man’s relationship with the sea, 102
marine pollution, 103
Mediterranean coastal environment,
103–106
Pangaea, 100
sandy beaches, 104
semi-desert, 103
sensitivity of coastal ecosystems, 102
technological applications,
development of, 102
Coliform bacteria, 166
Competitive species, 33
Conservative oscillation, 245, 246
Consumer organisms
aquatic ecosystems, 81
forest ecosystem, 88
production of, 55
ranking, 77
Converging oscillation, 242, 243
Copper, 150
Coral reef ecosystem, 75
Cosmic radiation, 156
Cyanobacteria, 77
Cybernetics, 3, 243
Cyclic behaviour, 245
d
DDT, 140
Decomposers, 53
Deforestation, 107
Demographic history of humanity, 44
Desert, 90
animals, 90
limiting factor, 90
plants, 90
rainfall, 90
water economy, 90
Deterministic models, 9
Deviating oscillation, 242
Dieldrin, 140
Dioxins, 140
Dirty Dozen, 140
Dissolved oxygen, 160, 161
Diversity
definition of, 76
ecosystem stability and, 75
forest ecosystems, 88
index, 76
DNA, 13
Dysphotic zone, 22
E
Ecological habitat, 26
Ecological niche, 25
Ecology, central issue for, 29
Ecosystem level, organisation at, 51–82
aquatic ecosystems, functions of,
77–82
autumn, 78
availability of nutrients, 77
benthos, 77
consumer organisms, 81
decomposition of organisms, 80
epilimnion, 78
eutrophication, 77
great inversion, 78
hypolimnion, 78
materials transfer, 78
mathematical model of a lake,
80–82
nekton, 77
oligotrophism to eutrophism, 78
oxygen and nutrient profiles in
the ocean, 79
phosphorous, 82
plankton, 77
pollution, 77
producer organisms, 81
seasonal inversions, 80
spring, 80
temperature layering and
seasonal inversions, 78–80
temperature zone’s deep lake, 79
trophic and other characteristics
of aquatic ecosystems, 77–78
winter, 80
biogeochemical cycles, 61–73
carbon cycle, 64–67
feedback and exchange
mechanisms, 62
characteristics, 100–102
coastal wetlands, 101–102, 104
coast degradation factors and
protection needs, 102–103
ecological characteristics of coast,
101
ecotone, example of, 101
environmental threats, 103
fragmentation of research, 101
geological eras, 100
harsh environmental conditions, 104
hypoxic conditions, 103
man’s relationship with the sea, 102
marine pollution, 103
Mediterranean coastal environment,
103–106
Pangaea, 100
sandy beaches, 104
semi-desert, 103
sensitivity of coastal ecosystems, 102
technological applications,
development of, 102
Coliform bacteria, 166
Competitive species, 33
Conservative oscillation, 245, 246
Consumer organisms
aquatic ecosystems, 81
forest ecosystem, 88
production of, 55
ranking, 77
Converging oscillation, 242, 243
Copper, 150
Coral reef ecosystem, 75
Cosmic radiation, 156
Cyanobacteria, 77
Cybernetics, 3, 243
Cyclic behaviour, 245
d
DDT, 140
Decomposers, 53
Deforestation, 107
Demographic history of humanity, 44
Desert, 90
animals, 90
limiting factor, 90
plants, 90
rainfall, 90
water economy, 90
Deterministic models, 9
Deviating oscillation, 242
Dieldrin, 140
Dioxins, 140
Dirty Dozen, 140
Dissolved oxygen, 160, 161
Diversity
definition of, 76
ecosystem stability and, 75
forest ecosystems, 88
index, 76
DNA, 13
Dysphotic zone, 22
E
Ecological habitat, 26
Ecological niche, 25
Ecology, central issue for, 29
Ecosystem level, organisation at, 51–82
aquatic ecosystems, functions of,
77–82
autumn, 78
availability of nutrients, 77
benthos, 77
consumer organisms, 81
decomposition of organisms, 80
epilimnion, 78
eutrophication, 77
great inversion, 78
hypolimnion, 78
materials transfer, 78
mathematical model of a lake,
80–82
nekton, 77
oligotrophism to eutrophism, 78
oxygen and nutrient profiles in
the ocean, 79
phosphorous, 82
plankton, 77
pollution, 77
producer organisms, 81
seasonal inversions, 80
spring, 80
temperature layering and
seasonal inversions, 78–80
temperature zone’s deep lake, 79
trophic and other characteristics
of aquatic ecosystems, 77–78
winter, 80
biogeochemical cycles, 61–73
carbon cycle, 64–67
feedback and exchange
mechanisms, 62