Nature is multifaceted and beautiful. We can say that this is a whole system that includes both living and inanimate nature. Inside it there are many other different systems that are inferior to it in scale. But not all of them are completely created by nature. In some of them, a person contributes. The anthropogenic factor can radically change the natural landscape and its orientation.
Agroecosystem is a system that has emerged as a result of anthropogenic activity. People can plow the land, plant trees, but no matter what we do, we have always been surrounded and will be surrounded by nature. This is some of its peculiarity. How are agroecosystems different from natural ecosystems? It's worth looking into.
Ecological system as a whole
In general, an ecological system is any combination of organic and inorganic components in which there is a cycle of substances.
Whether it's natural or man-made, it doesn't matteris an ecological system. But still, how do agroecosystems differ from natural ecosystems? First things first.
Natural ecosystem
The natural system, or, as it is also called, biogeocenosis, is a combination of organic and inorganic components on the earth's surface with homogeneous natural phenomena: atmosphere, rocks, hydrological conditions, soils, plants, animals and the world of microorganisms.
The natural system has its own structure, which includes the following components. Producers, or, as they are also called, autotrophs, are all those plants capable of producing organic matter, that is, capable of photosynthesis. Consumers are those who eat plants. It is worth noting that they belong to the first order. In addition, there are consumers and other orders. And, finally, another group is the group of decomposers. It is customary to include various kinds of bacteria, fungi.
Structure of a natural ecosystem
Food chains, food webs and trophic levels are distinguished in any ecosystem. The food chain is a sequential transfer of energy. A food web is all chains that are interconnected. Trophic levels are the places that organisms occupy in food chains. Producers belong to the very first level, consumers of the first order belong to the second, consumers of the second order to the third, and so on.
Food chains are different. For example, the food chain of predators: it always starts with plants and ends with small organisms. Otherchain - a chain of parasites. It also includes large organisms. Starts small and ends with a specific type of animal.
A saprophytic chain, or otherwise detrital, begins with dead remains and ends with some kind of animal. There is an omnivorous food chain. The pasture food chain (grazing chain) starts with photosynthetic organisms anyway.
This is all about biogeocenosis. How are agroecosystems different from natural ecosystems?
Agroecosystem
Agroecosystem is an ecosystem created by man. This includes gardens, arable land, vineyards, parks.
Like the previous one, the agroecosystem includes the following blocks: producers, consumers, decomposers. The former include cultivated plants, weeds, plants of pastures, gardens and forest belts. Consumers are all farm animals and humans. The block of decomposers is a complex of soil organisms.
Types of agroecosystems
The creation of man-made landscapes includes several types:
- agricultural landscapes: arable lands, pastures, irrigated lands, orchards and others;
- forest: forest parks, shelter belts;
- water: ponds, reservoirs, canals;
- urban: cities, towns;
- industrial: mines, quarries.
There is another classification of agroecosystems.
Types of agroecosystems
Depending on the level of economic use, systems are dividedto:
- agrosphere (global ecosystem),
- agricultural landscape,
- agroecosystem,
- agrocenosis.
Depending on the energy features of natural zones, the division occurs into:
- tropical;
- subtropical;
- moderate;
- arctic types.
The first is characterized by high heat supply, continuous vegetation and the predominance of perennial crops. The second - two periods of vegetation, namely summer and winter. The third type has only one growing season, as well as a long dormant period. As for the fourth type, here the cultivation of crops is very difficult due to low temperatures, as well as cold snaps for a long time.
Diversity of features
All cultivated plants must have certain properties. Firstly, high ecological plasticity, that is, the ability to produce crops in a wide range of fluctuations in climatic conditions.
Secondly, the heterogeneity of populations, that is, each of them must have plants that are different in terms of flowering time, drought resistance, frost resistance.
Third, early maturity - the ability to develop quickly, which will outstrip the development of weeds.
Fourth, resistance to fungal and other diseases.
Fifth, resistance to harmful insects.
Comparative characteristics of ecosystems and agroecosystems
In addition to what was said above, these ecosystems are very different in a number of other ways. ATunlike natural ones, in the agroecosystem the main consumer is the person himself. It is he who seeks to maximize the receipt of primary production (crop) and secondary (livestock). The second consumer is farm animals.
The second difference is that the agroecosystem is shaped and regulated by man. Many people ask why an agroecosystem is less resilient than an ecosystem. The thing is that they have a weakly expressed ability for self-regulation and self-renewal. Without human intervention, they exist only for a short time.
The next difference is selection. The stability of the natural ecosystem is ensured by natural selection. In the agroecosystem, it is artificial, provided by man and aimed at obtaining the maximum possible production. The energy received by the agricultural system includes the sun and everything that a person gives: irrigation, fertilizers and so on.
Natural biogeocenosis feeds only on natural energy. As a rule, plants grown by man include several species, while the natural ecosystem is very diverse.
Different nutritional balance is another difference. The products of plants in a natural ecosystem are used in many food chains, but still return to the system. It turns out the circulation of substances.
How are agroecosystems different from natural ecosystems?
Natural ecosystem (biogeocenosis) and agroecosystem in many waysdiffer from each other: plants, consumption, vitality, resistance to pests and diseases, species diversity, type of selection and many other traits.
A human-made ecosystem has both advantages and disadvantages. The natural system, in turn, cannot have any disadvantages. Everything is beautiful and harmonious in it.
Creating artificial systems, a person must take care of nature so as not to disturb this harmony.
