What Are Ecosystems?
The branch of science where living organisms interact with the environment is called ecology. Scientist have coined this term – from the Greek word “oikos” meaning “house” or “place to live.” So literally ecology is the study of organisms and where they live.
So the term ecosystem is defined as a place with similar plant and animal communities and the interrelated physical and chemical environment. Scientist use characteristics such as vegetation, topography, soils, and climate to classify these areas. Ecosystems can be large, such as Yellowstone, or small, such as a pond.
The four large areas used by Fish Wildlife and Parks to describe Montana’s landscape were determined by similar environmental characteristics that influence the vegetation and wildlife species. Some of these characteristics are soils, precipitation, and topography.
Scientist are continually discussing and debating ways to classify vegetative communities based on new information and discoveries.
Below are different criteria scientists use to classify ecological systems:
Montana Agricultural Experiment Station
An early classification system defined “Vegetative Rangeland Types in Montana“ by Gene Payne, Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, Bozeman 1973. Dr. Payne’s work defined Montana into 22 categories using a classification system based on work done by a committee of scientists in the 1940’s.
With recent improvements in technology scientist have more information to base classification systems on and thus are constantly redefining how the landscape is defined.
Natural Resources Conservation Service System
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is the national pioneer in developing a classification and mapping system. Montana is included in three large areas: Northern Great Plains, Western Great Plains, and the Rocky Mountains. These large units are defined even further based primarily on soil type characteristics.
Forest Service Ecological Classification System
The Forest Service has led the effort in developing the National Hierarchy of Ecological Units. Regional and subregional descriptions and delineations exist across the United States. Several states have also implemented landscape scale classifications statewide. Typically these are only available on Forest Service lands.
