Ecosystems - Mojave Desert Essay

Question: What management strategies have been implemented in response to the resilience and vulnerability of a selected ecosystem? The Mojave Desert is a world famous desert that occupies a significant amount of California and smaller parts in surrounding states. Covering thousands of square kilometers, the ecosystems can range from 100 meters below sea level up to 2000 meters above sea level. The biophysical interactions within these ecosystems such as earth movements, soil formation, weather and climate lead to very diverse environments, along with the many biotic factors. With the rapidly increasing impacts of human uses, pollution and urban sprawl the Mojave Desert is consistently becoming more damaged, altered and different to what nature once intended. Due to this, there is a need for management to preserve, protect and regenerate the ecosystems so the desert is thriving for generations to come. Appropriate management strategies are now being considered and put in place in response to the vulnerability and resilience of the Mojave Desert. These threats are placing pressures on the ecosystem and cause natural and forced change, both positive and negative change. Although mainly in Southeastern California, the Mojave managers to cover four states in total. Its stretches through central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and down to northwestern Arizona. The name originates from the Mohave Tribe of Native Americans that once walked this land as it is there home land. There are many attractions spread right across the Mojave, from the High Desert to Death Valley which is below sea level and is known for being the lowest-hottest place in the USA. The Mojave Desert occupies roughly 65,750km squared kilometers in a typical basin and range topography. Temperatures soaring to around -7 degrees Celsius in winter and then often reaching 50 degrees in summer prove this to be a unique ecosystem. This ecosystem has very extreme conditions and characteristics

Bibliography: World Wild Life http://worldwildlife.org/habitats/deserts Government Funded - Valid and updated information Well Known Organization - Has great credibility and reliability Consistently Updated Environmental Impact Statement for Las Vegas Airport Peter Byrne, Deputy Project Manager http://www.trforum.org/forum/downloads/2006_7CByrne_presentation.pdf? PHPSESSID=4221c9bf9d10e47b3ba965dc1ce7743f Document on Internet (Found on Forum) - Inside information that has to funding or sponsorship / support off any credible groups Reliable information straight from project manager of the new airport site Bias Opinions - trying to influence viewers Mojave Desert Land Trust http://www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org/partnerships.php Group Partnered with the Government - extremely reliable, in many cases the government rely on this organization Very credible information that is updated frequently Mojave Desert Climate 2001 http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/mojave_climate.htm Document written 10 years ago - Correct information, may not be accurate to date Information compares well with other sources - Correct information due to similarity with other sites Sites on the bibliography of the site, are reliable