ecosystems
5 questions tagged ecosystems — spanning every one of the seven Ws.
Why do beavers build dams?
Beavers build dams to create deep ponds that protect them from predators, keep their lodge entrances underwater and let them store food for winter.
Whose research first explained how kelp forests create marine habitats?
Ecologist Wheeler North and other 20th-century marine biologists showed that kelp forests are habitat-forming ecosystems. Giant kelp can grow astonishingly fast and shelter fish, sea otters, and invertebrates.
Why do sea urchins sometimes overrun a reef?
Sea urchins can explode in number when predators decline and algae becomes abundant. Without enough predators, they may overgraze the reef and prevent corals or kelp from recovering.
When was the first deep-sea hydrothermal vent community found?
The first deep-sea vent community was found in 1977. It proved that marine life could survive in complete darkness without sunlight.
How do coastal upwelling zones create some of the richest fishing grounds?
Winds push surface water away, allowing cold, nutrient-rich deep water to rise and fuel plankton growth.