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Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

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Figure 7-7 View of an estuary taken fromspace. The photo shows the sediment plumeat the mouth of Madagascar’s Betsiboka Riveras it flows through the estuary <strong>and</strong> into theMozambique Channel. Because of its topography,heavy rainfall, <strong>and</strong> the clearing of forestsfor agriculture, Madagascar is the world’s mosteroded country.NASAHerring gullsPeregrine falconSnowyegretCordgrassShort-billeddowitcherPhytoplanktonMarshperiwinkleSmeltFigure 7-8 Natural capital: somecomponents <strong>and</strong> interactions in a saltmarsh ecosystem in a temperate areasuch as the United States. When theseorganisms die, decomposers breakdown their organic matter into mineralsused by plants. Colored arrows indicatetransfers of matter <strong>and</strong> energy betweenconsumers (herbivores), secondary (orhigher-level) consumers (carnivores),<strong>and</strong> decomposers. Organisms are notdrawn to scale.Soft-shelledclamProducer toprimaryconsumerPrimary tosecondaryconsumerZooplankton <strong>and</strong>small crustaceansBacteriaSecondary tohigher-levelconsumerClamwormAll consumers<strong>and</strong> producersto decomposers132 CHAPTER 7 Aquatic Biodiversity

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