Which of the following best illustrates the open nature of ecosystems?
Nitrogen is transported from fertilized agricultural fields into streams and, eventually, into the ocean.
In most ecosystems, the number of positive feedback mechanisms equals the number of negative feedback mechanisms.
Many prairie plants require pollination by insects that naturally occur within the prairie.
To escape from a fox, a ground squirrel races up into the cavities of a dead, standing tree.
The statement that best illustrates the open nature of ecosystems is:
Nitrogen is transported from fertilized agricultural fields into streams and, eventually, into the ocean.
This example highlights the flow of materials and energy across different ecosystems, demonstrating how ecosystems are interconnected and open to exchanges with their surroundings. The movement of nitrogen from one environment to another shows that ecosystems do not exist in isolation; they interact with and influence each other through various processes.