All the diversity of organisms on our planet is inextricably linked. There is no such creature that could exist in isolation from everyone, strictly individually. However, not only organisms are closely interconnected, but also factors of the external and internal environment affect the entire biome. Together, the whole complex of animate and inanimate nature is represented by the structure of ecosystems and their properties. What is this concept, what parameters it is characterized by, let's try to understand the article.
The concept of ecosystems
What is an ecosystem? From the point of view of ecology, this is the total joint life activity of all types of organisms, regardless of class affiliation and environmental factors, both biotic and abiotic.
The properties of ecosystems are explained by their characteristics. The first mention of this term appeared in 1935. A. Tansley suggested using it to denote "a complex consisting not only of organisms, but also of their environment." The concept itself is quite extensive, it is the largest unit of ecology, and also important. Another name is biogeocenosis, although the differences between these concepts are stillsmall eat.
The main property of ecosystems is the continuous interaction within them of organic and inorganic matter, energy, the redistribution of heat, the migration of elements, the complex impact of living beings on each other. In total, there are several main characteristic features that are called properties.
Basic properties of ecosystems
There are three main ones:
- self-regulation;
- sustainability;
- self-reproduction;
- changing one for another;
- integrity;
- emergent properties.
The question of what is the main property of ecosystems can be answered in different ways. All of them are important, because only their combined presence allows this concept to exist. Let's look at each characteristic in detail to understand its importance and understand the essence.
Ecosystem self-regulation
This is the main property of the ecosystem, which implies the independent management of life within each biogeocenosis. That is, a group of organisms, which is in close relationship with other living beings, as well as environmental factors, has a direct impact on the entire structure as a whole. It is their vital activity that can affect the stability and self-regulation of the ecosystem.
For example, if we talk about predators, they eat herbivores of the same species exactly until their number is reduced. Further eating stops, and the predatorswitches to a different food source (that is, a different kind of herbivore). Thus, it turns out that the species is not completely destroyed, it remains at rest until the required abundance indicator is restored.
Within an ecosystem, natural extinction of a species as a result of being eaten by other individuals cannot occur. This is what self-regulation is about. That is, animals, plants, fungi, microorganisms mutually control each other, despite the fact that they are food.
Also, self-regulation is the main property of ecosystems also because thanks to it, a controlled process of converting different types of energy takes place. Inorganic substances, organic compounds, elements - all are in close interconnection and general circulation. Plants directly use solar energy, animals eat plants, converting this energy into chemical bonds, after their death, microorganisms again decompose them to inorganic matter. The process is continuous and cyclic without outside interference, which is called self-regulation.
Sustainability
There are other properties of ecosystems. Self-regulation is closely related to resilience. How long this or that ecosystem will last, how it will be preserved, and whether there will be changes to others, depends on a number of reasons.
True stable is considered to be the one within which there is no place for human intervention. It has a constantly stably high number of all types of organisms, there are no changes under the influence of environmental conditions orthey are insignificant. In principle, any ecosystem can be sustainable.
This state can be disturbed by a person by his intervention and failure of the established order (deforestation, shooting of animals, extermination of insects, etc.). Also, nature itself can affect sustainability if climatic conditions change dramatically, without giving organisms time to adapt. For example, natural disasters, climate change, water scarcity, etc.
The greater the diversity of species of organisms, the longer the existence of ecosystems. The properties of an ecosystem - stability and self-regulation - are the basis on which this concept generally rests. There is a term that summarizes these characteristics - homeostasis. That is, maintaining constancy in everything - the diversity of species, their abundance, external and internal factors. For example, tundra ecosystems are more likely to change than tropical forests. After all, the genetic diversity of living things in them is not so great, which means. and the survival rate drops sharply.
Self-reproducibility
If you think carefully about the question of what is the main property of ecosystems, you can come to the conclusion that self-reproducibility is no less important condition for their existence. Indeed, without the constant reproduction of components such as:
- organisms;
- soil composition;
- water transparency;
- oxygen component of air and so on.
It's hard to talk about sustainability and self-regulation. In order for the biomass to constantly revive and the numbersupported, it is important to have enough food, water, as well as favorable living conditions. Inside any ecosystem, there is a constant replacement of old individuals with young, sick ones with he althy, strong and hardy ones. This is a normal condition for the existence of any of them. This is possible only under the condition of timely self-reproducibility.
The manifestation of the properties of an ecosystem of this kind is a guarantee of the genetic conservation of the alleles of each species. Otherwise, entire genera and types, classes and families of living beings would be subject to extinction without subsequent restoration.
Succession
Also important properties of ecosystems are the change of ecosystems. This process is called succession. It occurs under the influence of a change in external abiotic factors and takes from several tens of years to millions. The essence of this phenomenon is the successive replacement of one ecosystem by another under the influence of both internal factors that arise between living organisms and external conditions of inanimate nature for a long time.
Also a significant reason for successions is human economic activity. So, forests are replaced by meadows and swamps, lakes turn into deserts or floodplain meadows, fields are overgrown with trees and a forest is formed. Naturally, the fauna also undergoes significant changes.
How long will succession take place? Exactly to the stage when the most convenient and adapted to specific conditions biogeocenosis is formed. For example, coniferous forests of the FarEast (taiga) is an already established indigenous biocenosis, which will not change further. It was formed over thousands of years, during which time there was more than one ecosystem change.
Emergent Properties
These properties of ecosystems are newly emerged, new and previously uncharacteristic features that appear in the biogeocenosis. They arise as a result of the complex work of all or several participants in the overall system.
A typical example is the coral reef community, which is the result of an interaction between coelenterates and algae. Corals are the main source of a huge amount of biomass, elements, compounds that did not exist in this community before them.
Ecosystem functions
Properties and functions of ecosystems are closely interconnected. So, for example, such a property as integrity implies the maintenance of constant interaction between all participants. Including with the factors of inanimate nature. And one of the functions is precisely the harmonious transition of various types of energy into each other, which is possible under the condition of internal circulation of elements between all parts of the population and the biocenoses themselves among themselves.
In general, the role of ecosystems is determined by the types of interactions that exist within them. Any biogeocenosis should give a certain biological increase in biomass as a result of its existence. This will be one of the functions. The increase depends on a combination of factors of animate and inanimate nature and can vary widely. Thus, biomass is much greater in areas with high humidity and good illumination. This means that its growth will be much greater compared to, for example, in the desert.
Another function of the ecosystem is transformational. It implies a directed change in energy, its transformation into various forms under the action of living beings.
Structure
The composition and properties of ecosystems determine their structure. What is the structure of biogeocenosis? Obviously, it includes all the main links (both living and abiotic). It is also important that, in general, the whole structure is a closed cycle, which once again confirms the basic properties of ecosystems.
There are two main major links in any biogeocenosis.
1. Ecotope - a set of factors of abiotic nature. He, in turn, is represented by:
- climate (atmosphere, humidity, light);
- edaphotopome (soil soil component).
2. Biocenosis - the totality of all types of living beings in a given ecosystem. Includes three main links:
- zoocenosis - all animal creatures;
- phytocenosis - all plant organisms;
- microbocenosis - all bacterial representatives.
According to the above structure, it is obvious that all links are closely interconnected and form a single network. This connection is manifested, first of all, in the absorption and conversion of energy. In other words, in food chains and webswithin and between populations.
Such a structure of biogeocenosis was proposed by V. N. Sukachev in 1940 and remains relevant today.
Mature ecosystem
The age of different biogeocenoses can vary widely. Naturally, the characteristic features of a young and mature ecosystem should be different. And so it is.
What property of a mature ecosystem distinguishes it from a relatively recently formed one? There are several of them, consider them all:
- Species of each population are formed, stable and are not replaced (displaced) by others.
- The variety of individuals is constant and does not change anymore.
- The whole community is freely self-regulating, there is a high degree of homeostasis.
- Each organism is fully adapted to environmental conditions, the coexistence of biocenosis and ecotope is as comfortable as possible.
Each ecosystem will undergo succession until its climax is established - a permanent most productive and acceptable species diversity. It was then that the biogeocenosis began to gradually transform into a mature community.
Groups of organisms within biogeocenosis
It is natural that all living beings within one ecosystem are interconnected into a single whole. At the same time, they also have a huge impact on the soil composition, air, water - on all abiotic components.
It is customary to distinguish several groups of organisms according to their ability to absorb and convert energy within each biogeocenosis.
- Producers are thosewho produces organic matter from inorganic components. These are green plants and some types of bacteria. Their way of absorbing energy is autotrophic, they directly absorb solar radiation.
- Consumers or biophages - those who consume ready-made organic matter by eating living beings. These are carnivores, insects, some plants. This also includes herbivores.
- Saprotrophs are organisms capable of decomposing organic matter, thus consuming nutrients. That is, they feed on the dead remains of plants and animals.
Obviously, all participants in the system are in an interdependent position. Without plants, herbivores will not be able to get food, and without them, predators will die. Saprophages will not process the compounds, the amount of the necessary inorganic compounds will not be restored. All these relationships are called food chains. In large communities, chains turn into networks, pyramids form. The study of issues related to trophic interactions is the science of ecology.
The role of humans in influencing ecosystems
There is a lot of talk about this today. Finally, man has realized the full scale of the damage that over the past 200 years has been inflicted on the ecosystem. The consequences of such behavior have become obvious: acid rain, the greenhouse effect, global warming, the reduction of fresh water reserves, the impoverishment of the soil, the reduction of forest areas, and so on. You can point out problems for an infinitely long time, because there are a huge number of them.
All this is the very role that man has played and still plays in the ecosystem. Mass urbanization, industrialization, the development of technology, space exploration and other human activities lead not only to the complication of the state of inanimate nature, but also to extinction and a decrease in the biomass of the planet.
Every ecosystem needs human protection, especially today. Therefore, the task of each of us is to provide her with support. This does not require much - at the government level, methods of protecting nature are being developed, ordinary people should only adhere to the established rules and try to keep ecosystems intact, without introducing an excessive amount of various substances and elements into their composition.
