Watershed ecology is essential knowledge for watershed managers because it teaches us that watersheds have structural and functional characteristics that can influence how human and natural communities coexist within them. The gross structure of a watershed -- its headwaters area, side slopes, valley floor, and water body, as well as its soils, minerals, native plants and animals -- are, in one sense, raw material for all the human activities that may potentially occur there. The watershed's natural processes -- rainfall runoff, groundwater recharge, sediment transport, plant succession, and many others -- provide beneficial services when functioning properly, but may cause disasters when misunderstood and disrupted. It is crucial for people to understand watersheds and how they work before they make decisions or take actions that may affect important watershed structural or functional characteristics.
| Watershed |
| Watershed Ecology |
| Ecosystem |
| Section 2 of 21 |