Ecosystem Structure, Function and Change

Lake Tahoe is located in Sierra Nevada and is a freshwater lake over 1600 feet deep and one of the largest lakes in America. The lake is at the heart of a comprehensive ecosystem and home to a range of native species and contains a rich aquatic life. For example, the lake is home to redside dace, suckers and chub. "The ecosystem of the Lake Tahoe Basin has been dramatically altered since European settlers began to settle around the lake in the middle of the last century. Human disturbances, including introduced species, fire suppression, past overgrazing and logging, urbanization, roads, intensive recreational use, and air pollution, have affected not only the clarity of the lake, but the forest's ability to maintain the function, diversity, and resiliency of its components" (Tahoecam.com). Deforestation at the end of the 19th century, along with other issues such as drought,...
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