Artificial ecosystems ( noobiogeocenoses or socioecosystems ) is a collection of organisms living in human-made conditions. Unlike an ecosystem, it includes an additional equal community called noocenosis .

Noocenosis is a part of an artificial ecosystem, which includes the means of labor, society and products of labor.

Agrocenosis- this is a biocenosis artificially created by man for his own purposes with a certain level and nature of productivity.

Currently, about ten percent of the land is occupied by agrocenoses.

Despite the fact that in the agrocenosis, as in any natural ecosystem, there are obligatory trophic levels - producers, consumers, decomposers that form typical food webs, there are quite big differences between these two types of communities:

1) In agrocenoses, the diversity of organisms is sharply reduced. The monotony and species poverty of agrocenoses is maintained by a person with a special complex system agricultural measures. In the fields, one type of plant is usually cultivated, in connection with which both the animal population and the composition of soil microorganisms are sharply depleted. However, even the most depleted agrocenoses include several dozen species of organisms belonging to different systematic and ecological groups. For example, in the agrocenosis of a wheat field, in addition to wheat, weeds, insects - pests of wheat and predators, invertebrates - inhabitants of the soil and the ground layer, pathogenic fungi, etc.

2) Species cultivated by man are supported by artificial selection and cannot withstand the struggle for existence without the support of man.

3) Agro-ecosystems receive additional energy due to human activities, providing additional conditions for the growth of cultivated plants.

4) The net primary production of agrocenosis (plant biomass) is removed from the ecosystem as a crop and does not enter the food chain. Partial consumption of it by pests is suppressed by human activity in every possible way. As a result, the soil is depleted minerals necessary for plant life. Therefore, again, human intervention in the form of fertilization is necessary.

In agrocenoses, the effect is weakened natural selection and operates mainly artificial selection, aimed at the maximum productivity of plants needed by man, and not those that are better adapted to environmental conditions.

Thus, agrocenoses, unlike natural systems, are not self-regulating systems, but are regulated by man. The task of such regulation is to increase the productivity of agrocenosis. For this, arid lands are irrigated and waterlogged lands are drained; weeds and crop-eating animals are destroyed, varieties of cultivated plants are changed and fertilizers are applied. All this creates advantages only for cultivated plants.

In contrast to the natural ecosystem, the agrocenosis is unstable, it quickly collapses, because. cultivated plants will not withstand competition with wild plants and will be displaced by them.

Agrobiocenoses are also characterized by a marginal effect in the placement of insect pests. They are concentrated mainly in the marginal strip, and the center of the field is populated to a lesser extent. This phenomenon is due to the fact that competition between individual plant species sharply intensifies in the transition zone, and this, in turn, reduces the level of protective reactions against insects in the latter.

Previous materials:

The ecosystem as a set of living organisms coexisting in a certain habitat, interacting with each other through the exchange of matter and energy, could not fully satisfy human needs. For not all organisms, in his view, are useful. A person does not want to be part of the system, he wants to manage it, to become on a par with the laws of nature, to receive more energy and food than he should. So, along with the natural, and often instead of it, an artificial or man-made ecosystem appeared. Its main task was to change the species composition in favor of plants and animals that best meet human requirements. Over time, he began to change the conditions of the habitat, adding to it those elements that would promote the growth and development of living organisms of interest to him and, accordingly, oppress those that were not of interest.

Thus, an artificial ecosystem, called agrobiocenosis, is characterized by increased productivity for the plant world and productivity for the animal, those varieties and species that are predetermined by man as priority, cultivated or cultivated. With the advent of technical possibilities for influencing or controlling abiotic factors, that is, environment, the system received a broader concept - agrobiogeocenosis.

Being subjected to such an active influence, natural ecosystems have undergone significant changes and turned into artificial ones.

Now they do not have such a wide variety of species, often the number of species is reduced to a minimum - one or two. As a result, it ceased to self-regulate, self-repair and be stable. In order to exist, it needs constant human intervention.

Plants and animals that have created ideal or optimal conditions for growth and quantitative increase cannot feed on their own and survive in the fight against other species. Currently, about 10% of the Earth's land area is occupied by agricultural systems, on which up to 2.5 billion tons of agricultural products or 90% of energy are grown annually. At the same time, competing species and varieties are suppressed or destroyed in order to provide comfortable conditions for artificially grown ones. The food or trophic chain is broken, and this already entails the disappearance of plants and animals that are not competitors for cultivated ones. The ecosystem ceases to be a system as such, and with the first mistake or insufficient attention of a person, it dies. There are enough examples of this.

To create and maintain agrocenoses, a person applies a certain set of measures and activities. These are: the breeding of varieties and species with predetermined characteristics, the use of specially designed systems and foodstuffs, tillage, reclamation or irrigation, the application of fertilizers and suppressants.

Examples and history of occurrence

As an example, an artificial ecosystem - a vegetable garden, a garden or a personal plot; livestock farm; a field set aside for the cultivation of a particular crop variety; a lake for industrial fish farming and a man-made reservoir for keeping exotic fish, mollusks, crustaceans, plants and animals. The last is a huge oceanarium or an ordinary home aquarium - a small artificial ecosystem.

Modeling of ecosystems in an artificial closed reservoir is done by aquariums. She has different goals and directions - this is scientific study, cultivation of crops and breeding of living organisms for commercial purposes, decorative and others.

People have been engaged in such activities since time immemorial. The first pools with specially bred colored fish were in Egypt and China. The first prototypes of modern aquariums appeared in 1843. Their author was Jeanne Villepre-Power. The first aquarium, which simultaneously contained fish and underwater plants, appeared in 1841.

The main activity of all types of aquarism is the selection and breeding of new species and varieties of underwater flora and fauna. Although the preservation and study of them also has great importance especially in its scientific direction. Of course, there is also commercial aquarium keeping, the main purpose of which is to make a profit. But it also contributes to the goals of conservation, study and selection, although its illegal part - poaching, is undoubtedly negative.

Types and main characteristics

The ecosystem of an aquarium or a transparent container filled with water and intended to contain living organisms is formed on the basis of several conditions, this is the volume of the vessel and the characteristics of the water.

By volume, aquariums are divided into: home - up to 1 cu. m. of water and public, which can be more than 3000 cubic meters. m. The latter includes the capacity in the Chinese amusement park in the city of Zhuhai. Its volume is 22.7 thousand cubic meters. m. There are no specific requirements for the size of the container. When determining the required size, they proceed from the nature of the habitat of living organisms planned to be placed in the aquarium. There is only one feature - the larger the volume of the aquarium, the closer the ecosystem created in it to the natural one, which means that it is more stable, can self-regulate and self-clean.

The second criterion is the characteristics of water. Due to the fact that the aquarium ecosystem can consist of any kind of aquatic flora and fauna, then by place of residence, they differ in freshwater and marine. It can be: fish, plants, mollusks, crustaceans, reptiles, amphibians, corals and so on.

According to the composition of water, ecosystems are created: freshwater, brackish and marine. The first type is subdivided into pseudo-sea, which does not contain plants and fish, has hard water and is filled with stones and cichlids, due to which it resembles marine coral reefs; and Dutch, inhabited by plants. The second, brackish, is subdivided into marine species and mangroves. The most difficult to maintain is a marine aquarium. The water must be fresh and contain a large number of sea ​​salt. Artificial currents should be created in the tank. This species is divided into fish and reef.

Tanks for aquariums must meet a number of requirements. They must be strong and transparent. By design, they can be frameless, frame and seamless.

To control abiotic factors, although under the condition of artificiality of their creation - at the will of man, they can rather be called anthropogenic, ecosystems and ensure its proper functioning are used: aerators, filters, thermometers, and the like.

The volume of the tank, the technical equipment, the composition of the water and other equipment of the aquarium depends on its purpose. It is decorative and special.

Flora and fauna

Animal and vegetable world, which forms a small artificial ecosystem in the aquarium, is compiled according to the priorities and desires of a person and the tasks set for him.

Fish are the most common inhabitants of aquariums of all types, types and directions. Their varietal diversity reaches several thousand species. The most famous and popular are: haracin, carp, platy, labyrinth and catfish. Of the reptiles in aquariums contain aquatic turtles. Amphibians are represented by axolotls, clawed frogs and newts. Mollusks are, of course, snails, but barley may also be contained. With the development of technology and following fashion, nowadays, crustaceans can be increasingly found in aquariums. Such as: Florida red and Australian blue crayfish, as well as shrimp - Amano and cherry.

No matter how large a huge oceanarium or indoor aquarium is, it is a small artificial ecosystem, an agrocenosis, in which there is a limited number of plant and animal species, which does not allow it to independently exist, renew, regulate, and, therefore, it is very vulnerable and prone to death. . The same rule applies to any artificially created system. Her death is entirely on the conscience of the one who created it.

Video - Aquarium Ecosystem

Steppe, deciduous forest, swamp, aquarium, ocean, field - any item from this list can be considered an example of an ecosystem. In our article, we will reveal the essence of this concept and consider its components.

Ecological communities

Ecology is a science that studies all facets of the relationships of living organisms in nature. Therefore, the subject of its study is not a separate individual and the conditions of its existence. Ecology considers the nature, result and productivity of their interaction. Thus, the totality of populations determines the features of the functioning of the biocenosis, which includes a number of biological species.

But under natural conditions, populations interact not only with each other, but also with a variety of environmental conditions. Such an ecological community is called an ecosystem. To refer to this concept, the term biogeocenosis is also used. Both the miniature aquarium and the boundless taiga are an example of an ecosystem.

Ecosystem: definition of the concept

As you can see, an ecosystem is a fairly broad concept. FROM scientific point this community is a combination of elements of wildlife and abiotic environment. Consider such as the steppe. This is an open grassy area with plants and animals that have adapted to the conditions of cold winters with little snow and hot dry summers. In the course of adaptation to life in the steppe, they developed a number of adaptation mechanisms.

So, numerous rodents make underground passages in which they store grain reserves. Some steppe plants have such a modification of the shoot as a bulb. It is typical for tulips, crocuses, snowdrops. Within two weeks, while there is enough moisture in the spring, their shoots have time to grow and bloom. And they experience an unfavorable period underground, feeding on previously stored nutrients and water from a fleshy bulb.

Cereal plants have another underground modification of the shoot - the rhizome. Substances are also stored in its elongated internodes. Examples of steppe cereals are bonfire, bluegrass, hedgehog, fescue, bent grass. Another feature is the narrow leaves that prevent excessive evaporation.

Ecosystem classification

As you know, the boundary of an ecosystem is established by a phytocenosis - a plant community. This feature is also used in the classification of these communities. So, the forest is a natural ecosystem, examples of which are very diverse: oak, aspen, tropical, birch, fir, linden, hornbeam.

Another classification is based on zonal or climatic features. Such an example of an ecosystem is a community of a shelf or sea coasts, rocky or sandy deserts, floodplain or subalpine meadows. The totality of such communities of various types make up the global shell of our planet - the biosphere.

Natural Ecosystem: Examples

There are also natural and artificial biogeocenoses. Communities of the first type function without human intervention. A natural living ecosystem, examples of which are quite numerous, has a cyclic structure. This means that plants are again returned to the system of the circulation of matter and energy. And this despite the fact that it necessarily passes through a variety of food chains.

Agrobiocenoses

Using natural resources, man has created numerous artificial ecosystems. Examples of such communities are agrobiocenoses. These include fields, vegetable gardens, orchards, pastures, greenhouses, forest plantations. Agrocenoses are created to obtain agricultural products. They have the same elements of food chains as the natural ecosystem.

Producers in agrocenoses are both cultivated and weed plants. Rodents, predators, insects, birds are consumers, or consumers organic matter. And bacteria and fungi represent a group of decomposers. A distinctive feature of agrobiocenoses is the mandatory participation of a person, who is a necessary link in the trophic chain and creates conditions for the productivity of an artificial ecosystem.

Comparison of natural and artificial ecosystems

Artificial ones, which we have already considered, have a number of disadvantages compared to natural ones. The latter are characterized by stability and the ability to self-regulate. But agrobiocenoses cannot exist for a long time without human participation. So, either a vegetable garden independently produces no more than a year, perennial herbaceous plants - about three. The record holder in this regard is the garden, the fruit crops of which are able to develop independently up to 20 years.

Natural ecosystems receive only solar energy. In agrobiocenoses, humans introduce its additional sources in the form of tillage, fertilizers, aeration, weed and pest control. However, there are many cases where economic activity It also led to adverse consequences: salinization and waterlogging of soils, desertification of territories, pollution of natural shells.

Ecosystems of cities

On the present stage development, man has already made significant changes in the composition and structure of the biosphere. Therefore, a separate shell is isolated, directly created by human activity. It's called the noosphere. IN Lately such a concept as urbanization - increasing the role of cities in human life - is widely developed. They are already home to more than half of the world's population.

The ecosystem of cities has its own distinctive features. In them, the ratio of elements is violated, since the regulation of all processes associated with the transformation of substances and energy is carried out exclusively by man. Creating for himself all possible benefits, he creates a lot of unfavorable conditions. Polluted air, transport and housing problems, high morbidity, constant noise adversely affect the health of all urban residents.

What is succession

Very often within the same range there is a successive change. This phenomenon is called succession. A classic example of an ecosystem change is the appearance of a deciduous forest in place of a coniferous one. Due to the fire in the occupied territory, only seeds are preserved. But it takes a long time for them to germinate. Therefore, grassy vegetation first appears at the site of the fire. Over time, it is replaced by shrubs, and they, in turn, are deciduous trees. Such successions are called secondary. They arise under the influence of natural factors or human activities. In nature, they are quite common.

Primary successions are associated with the process of soil formation. It is typical for territories deprived of life. For example, rocks, sands, stones, sandy loam. At the same time, conditions for the formation of soils first arise, and only then the remaining components of the biogeocenosis appear.

So, an ecosystem is called a community, which includes biotic elements and They are in close interaction, connected by the circulation of substances and energy.

Ecosystems is one of the key concepts of ecology, which is a system that includes several components: a community of animals, plants and microorganisms, a characteristic habitat, a whole system of relationships through which the interchange of substances and energies is carried out.

In science, there are several classifications of ecosystems. One of them divides all known ecosystems into two large classes: natural, created by nature, and artificial, those created by man. Let's look at each of these classes in more detail.

natural ecosystems

As noted above, natural, natural ecosystems were formed as a result of the action of the forces of nature. They are characterized by:

• The close relationship between organic and inorganic substances
• A complete, vicious circle of the circulation of substances: starting from the appearance of organic matter and ending with its decay and decomposition into inorganic components.
• Resilience and ability to self-heal.

All natural ecosystems are defined by the following features:

• 1. species structure: the number of each species of animal or plant is regulated by natural conditions.
  2. Spatial structure: all organisms are arranged in a strict horizontal or vertical hierarchy. For example, in a forest ecosystem, tiers are clearly distinguished, in an aquatic ecosystem, the distribution of organisms depends on the depth of the water.
  3. Biotic and abiotic substances. The organisms that make up an ecosystem are divided into inorganic (abiotic: light, air, soil, wind, humidity, pressure) and organic (biotic - animals, plants).
  4. In turn, the biotic component is divided into producers, consumers and destroyers. Producers include plants and bacteria, which, with the help of sunlight and energy, create organic matter from inorganic substances. Consumers are animals and carnivorous plants that feed on this organic matter. Destroyers (fungi, bacteria, some microorganisms) are the crown of the food chain, as they produce the reverse process: organics are converted into inorganic substances.

The spatial boundaries of each natural ecosystem are very conditional. In science, it is customary to define these boundaries by the natural contours of the relief: for example, a swamp, lake, mountains, rivers. But in the aggregate, all the ecosystems that make up the bio-envelope of our planet are considered open, as they interact with the environment and space. In the very general idea the picture looks like this: living organisms receive energy, cosmic and terrestrial substances from the environment, and at the output - sedimentary rocks and gases, which eventually go into space.

All components of a natural ecosystem are located in close relationship. The principles of this connection are formed over the years, sometimes centuries. But that is why they become so stable, since these connections and climatic conditions determine the types of animals and plants that live in this area. Any imbalance in the natural ecosystem can lead to its disappearance or attenuation. Such a violation can be, for example, deforestation, extermination of a population of a particular species of animals. In this case, the food chain is immediately disrupted, and the ecosystem begins to "fail".

By the way, the introduction of additional elements into ecosystems can also disrupt it. For example, if a person starts breeding animals in the selected ecosystem that were not there initially. A vivid confirmation of this is the breeding of rabbits in Australia. At first it was profitable, because in such a fertile environment and excellent for breeding climatic conditions, rabbits began to multiply with incredible speed. But in the end it all came crashing down. Countless hordes of rabbits devastated pastures where sheep used to graze. The number of sheep began to decline. A person receives much more food from one sheep than from 10 rabbits. This case even entered the proverb: "Rabbits ate Australia." It took an incredible effort of scientists and great expenses before they managed to get rid of the rabbit population. It was not possible to completely exterminate their population in Australia, but their numbers declined and no longer threatened the ecosystem.

artificial ecosystems

Artificial ecosystems are communities of animals and plants that live in conditions created for them by man. They are also called noobiogeocenoses or socioecosystems. Examples: field, pasture, city, society, spaceship, zoo, garden, artificial pond, reservoir.

by the most simple example artificial ecosystem is an aquarium. Here, the habitat is limited by the walls of the aquarium, the influx of energy, light and nutrients is carried out by man, he also regulates the temperature and composition of the water. The number of inhabitants is also initially determined.

First feature: all artificial ecosystems are heterotrophic, i.e. consuming prepared food. Take, for example, a city, one of the largest man-made ecosystems. The influx of artificially created energy (gas pipeline, electricity, food) plays a huge role here. At the same time, such ecosystems are characterized by a large yield toxic substances. That is, those substances that in the natural ecosystem later serve for the production of organic matter often become unusable in artificial ones.

Another distinctive feature of artificial ecosystems is the open cycle of metabolism. Take, for example, agro-ecosystems - the most important for humans. These include fields, orchards, vegetable gardens, pastures, farms and other agricultural lands on which a person creates conditions for the removal of consumer products. A part of the food chain in such ecosystems is taken out by a person (in the form of a crop), and therefore the food chain becomes destroyed.

The third difference between artificial ecosystems and natural ones is their species scarcity.. Indeed, a person creates an ecosystem for the sake of breeding one (rarely several) species of plants or animals. For example, in a wheat field, all pests and weeds are destroyed, only wheat is cultivated. This makes it possible to get the best harvest. But at the same time, the destruction of organisms "unprofitable" for humans makes the ecosystem unstable.

Comparative characteristics of natural and artificial ecosystems

It is more convenient to present a comparison of natural ecosystems and socio-ecosystems in the form of a table:

natural ecosystems	artificial ecosystems
The main component is solar energy.	Mainly gets energy from fuel and cooked food (heterotrophic)
Forms fertile soil	Depletes the soil
All natural ecosystems absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen	Most artificial ecosystems consume oxygen and produce carbon dioxide.
Great species diversity	Limited number of species of organisms
High stability, ability to self-regulation and self-healing	Weak sustainability, as such an ecosystem depends on human activities
closed metabolism	Unclosed metabolic chain
Creates habitats for wild animals and plants	Destroys wildlife habitats
Accumulates water, using it wisely and purifying	High water consumption, its pollution

An ecosystem is, roughly speaking, a collection of representatives of wildlife and their living conditions, united by information, substances and energy.

The term "ecosystem" was proposed in 1935 by a botanist. This definition was not included in the scope of signs in terms of size, rank or type of origin. The author of the term is the Englishman A. Tensley, who devoted his whole life to studying the processes of botany.

The types of ecosystems can be different, there is a certain classification and scheme for dividing them as components of the biosphere. For example, judging by the origin of these objects, the types of ecosystems can be divided into natural and anthropogenic.

The concept of an ecosystem is the most important part of the natural complex that makes up the geographical and biological shell of the planet Earth. Here we are talking about all the components of which they are composed: soil, air, water resources, flora and fauna.

Arthur Tensley

Quick article navigation

General concept of the concept

What is an ecosystem? What is included in this concept? The meaning of the word is explained quite simply: it is a system inhabited by living organisms in their natural habitat, within which there is a constant exchange of information and energy.

Vladimir Nikolaevich Sukachev different types ecosystems, however general principle is the same: it has a biotope - a regional component that has the same landscape, terrain, climate, and biocenosis - the inhabitants of the group permanently residing in this biotope. It simply does not make sense to consider these two concepts separately, since the biotope and biocenosis do not exist separately from each other. But together they form a natural scheme called biogeocenosis. This concept was introduced into scientific use by the biologist V.N. Sukachev.

Since natural systems can exist for a very long time, the coordinated work of all components, the correct metabolic processes, as well as interaction with the environment are important for them to release the accumulated energy and recharge from the outside. The diversity of ecosystems is great, each of them is individual, but they all have common factors - construction and components.

An ecosystem is a separate structural unit, which combines biotic and abiotic factors, which has its own line of self-development, the provision of vital materials and a certain organization.

Ecosystem types

Systems of exchange of various substances can be of different types.

What are ecosystems according to the source of origin of components? There are only two of them: natural and artificial.

A living group is a completely autonomous complex of living organisms living in comfortable conditions. In such a structure, all its components perform their function independently, without any outside interference. This concept of an ecosystem is called natural or natural.

But anthropogenic groups in biology have a completely artificial origin, often they are called just that - artificial. What are essential features such a system? Everything is very simple: they were created artificially, by man. The inhabitants of the ecosystem here cannot provide the necessary exchange of information and their own living conditions, all this is supported from the outside.

Now let's take a closer look at the difference between these two types.

Natural

Natural ecosystems are further subdivided according to the method of obtaining energy from outside. One group is completely dependent on the energy of the sun, the second receives food not only from the sun, but also from other sources additionally.

The ecology of communities and ecosystems that are one hundred percent dependent on heavenly body, is not particularly productive in terms of processing substances, but it is impossible to do without them. The functions of an ecosystem of this type form the climate on the planet and the general condition of the air layer around the Earth. Usually natural complexes exist in their natural form, occupy large areas, such as they were created.

Natural biomes are divided into three main groups:

1. ground,
2. freshwater,
3. Marine.

Deep Sea Basin of the Black Sea - an example of a marine biome

Each of them is based on natural and ecological factors, and their combined work is the main condition for the emergence and existence of a global ecosystem. These types are deliberately divided in ecology according to the conditions of existence - in this way a single ecosystem is composed of the main possible habitats in natural conditions. In this context, examples of ecosystems from each group will certainly be of interest.

Ground

Large terrestrial ecosystems known to be natural:

• tundra,
• coniferous forest,
• desert,
• savannah.

Tundra

There are a lot of such representatives, their general meaning is clear: this is a natural system located on the earth and completely independently functioning.

freshwater

The freshwater group is more diverse and includes several more separate types:

1. Lentic Ecosystems. These include objects with standing water, most often these are ponds or lakes. They are subject to stratification, since the water in such reservoirs practically does not move - except for short, seasonal periods. Therefore, such biomes, although important for the ecology of the planet, are rather static in their action and have a long period of metabolic processes.
2. Lothic ecosystems. Here it is just the opposite - we are talking about flowing waters: various types of rivers, streams and the like. Due to their main property - the flow - such groups are more active than the previous ones. Due to the fact that the waters do not stagnate, there is a more volumetric exchange between water and land, as well as a uniform circulation of oxygen throughout the area.
3. Naturally swamped bodies of water. That is, in fact, the swamps themselves and their varieties. They differ in terms of location: they can be low-lying - their basis is groundwater, or upland - formed anywhere, even after heavy rains or other natural disasters.

Riding, transitional and lowland swamps in the floodplain of the river. Mankurka and Borovaya - a bog complex of riding type

The concept of functioning in freshwater biomes is completely similar to terrestrial ones: the totality of living organisms in its natural environment habitats that perform metabolic processes within the ecological complex.

Marine

Marine type, respectively, includes:

• oceans,
• seas,
• shelf waters,
• other bodies of sea water.

Pacific Ocean- the largest ocean in terms of area and depth on Earth

These are the main types natural systems. However, some others are also found in nature - their number is so meager that it makes no sense to cover them.

Each of the natural systems has its own climate, flora and fauna.

Artificial

However, a living ecosystem cannot always fully function on its own; often, if at least one of the key factors is lost, it is doomed to death. The life of the ecosystem will gradually fade away, removing its next links from the chain until it ceases to function at all.

This happened in the early periods of the development of natural processes, until man intervened in their natural course. It was with his participation that the so-called anthropogenic natural complexes They are also called artificial.

These types of ecosystems are actually very similar, have the same principle of operation and semantic load, main feature artificial type is that the main, decisive role in it belongs to outside interference.

An example of an anthropogenic ecosystem is not difficult to find - they are everywhere.

Take agriculture or farming. On the one hand, all processes in them occur naturally: plant seeds ripen under the influence of solar ultraviolet radiation and the metabolism of soils, air and precipitation. But at the same time, the human component of influence is inalienable here: agricultural tillage, destruction of pests, harvesting - each factor plays a significant role in the life of this complex, and it cannot be provided by nature on its own.

Farming in the Tyumen region

Speaking of artificial complexes, one should not lose sight of urban and industrial ecosystems. This bright examples anthropogenic groups.

In particular, urban ecosystems have recently emerged in the process of urbanization of the population - from agricultural land, residents moved to cities, creating large, including industrial centers. The latter have a huge negative contribution to the ecology of our entire planet.

Industrially polluted cities are a real threat to the ecological state of the Earth, all its spheres. They not only kill the possibility of natural processes occurring in nature, but also exert their harmful effect to the regions adjacent to them, gradually surviving the natural environment.

A vivid example of industrial ecosystems is the Donbas region and the like. Compared to them, ordinary urban ecosystems, although artificial, are not so threatening to the environment.

Examples

The concept of an ecosystem has existed in science for a long time, and over time, the ecosystem scheme is gradually becoming more complex. This happens both for natural reasons and due to the intervention of progressive aspects. The designation of a set of factors interacting with each other and creating their own cycle of metabolism and information is quite suitable for the concept of this term.

Consider the main ecosystems of the earth and their features. The largest ecosystem on Earth is the planet's biosphere, the so-called set of living organisms interacting with each other using biotic and abiotic behavior models.

The ecological system in nature is: arrays of natural plantations that form various types of forests - taiga, deciduous and pine forests. The function of an ecosystem in these cases is ensured by the presence of a group of organisms responsible for its viability. Here, the relationship between living organisms and components of inanimate nature is obligatory: representatives of the fauna, the plant flora that they feed on, bacteria that live by obtaining nutrients from dead organic matter.

Examples of anthropogenic ecosystems are even easier to find! Here, too, the main role is assigned to natural processes, but they do not proceed independently. The types and components of such complexes can be anything.

The simplest example of an ecosystem in this section is a typical aquarium. It seems to be completely natural (it has a living ecosystem of fish, mollusks, plants, water and air), but the factor that forms the type of anthropogenic scheme here is a person. From it comes food to the inhabitants of the aquarium, it also provides lighting, cleaning and other necessary factors.

Aquarium

Or take the example of a vegetable garden, which is essentially close to the concept of a natural process: vegetables grow from seeds using nature's mechanism. The definition of anthropogenicity here is elementary - it is a natural scheme created by man.

A separate example of artificial complexes is engineering ecosystems. This should first of all include treatment facilities, windmills, mountain ecosystems created by people. Here, non-living parts of the ecosystem produce or transform energy flows specifically to ensure the vital activity of mankind.

It is also impossible not to note the enormous impact on the environment that man-made ecosystems have. Their concepts are such that the activity of any such complex benefits humanity and progress, but at the same time causes, often irreparably, harm to the natural ecosystems of the planet, the ecological situation in certain regions, to all living things and inanimate objects, including.