Examples of species of organisms in an artificial ecosystem farm. Ecological system: concept, essence, types and levels

Presentation on the topic "Diversity of ecosystems" in geography in powerpoint format. In this presentation for schoolchildren, the concepts of natural and artificial ecosystems are given, examples of these ecosystems are given.

Fragments from the presentation

• Ecosystem, or ecological system(from other Greek οἶκος - dwelling, residence and σύστημα - system) - biological system, consisting of a community of living organisms (biocenosis), their habitat (biotope), a system of connections that exchanges matter and energy between them.
• natural ecosystems- These are natural ecosystems, the study of which does not take into account any anthropogenic impacts.

Examples of natural ecosystems

Terrestrial ecosystems:

• Tundra: arctic and alpine;
• boreal coniferous forests;
• Temperate deciduous forest;
• Steppe of the temperate zone;
• Tropical forest steppes and savannahs;
• Chaparral;
• Semi-desert: grassy and shrubby;
• Semi-evergreen tropical forest;
• Evergreen tropical rainforest.

Freshwater ecosystems:

• Lentic (stagnant waters): lakes, ponds, etc.;
• Lotic (flowing waters): rivers, streams, etc.;
• Wetlands: swamps and marshy forests.

Marine Ecosystems:

• Open ocean (pelagic);
• Water continental shelf(coastal waters);
• Upwelling areas (with productive fisheries);
• Estuaries (bays, straits, river mouths, etc.).

fresh water ecosystem

Most favorable conditions for the life of organisms are created in the coastal zone. Features - high density of the medium, low oxygen content in it, slight temperature fluctuations.

Producers:

• Near the shore - algae and higher herbaceous plants (bulrush, cattail, water horsetail);
• At the bottom - mosses and bottom silt;
• Their role: the creation of organic substances from inorganic in the process of photosynthesis and the enrichment of water with oxygen.

Consumers:

• Heterotrophs, different types of animals - protozoa (flagellates, ciliates, amoebas), mollusks, lower crustaceans (daphnia, cyclops), crustaceans, insects, worms, amphibians (frogs, newts) fish (pike, perch - predatory, crucian carp - herbivores), mammals (desman, beavers, otters).
• Their role: splitting of organic substances, enrichment of water with carbon dioxide.

artificial ecosystems are human-made ecosystems.

Examples of artificial ecosystems

• Biological treatment facilities;
• The park;
• Field;
• Town;
• Agrocenoses;
• Arable land;
• Natural - economic systems;
• Reservoirs and canals.

wheat field ecosystem

When using the field, a person uses a set of agrotechnical methods: various methods of soil cultivation (plowing, harrowing, disking, etc.), melioration (with excessive soil moisture), sometimes artificial irrigation, sowing (planting) of high-yielding varieties of wheat, top dressing, weed control, plant pests and diseases.

Producers:

• Wheat;
• weeds.

Consumers:

• Insects (butterflies, caterpillars, bugs);
• earthworms;
• Rodents (voles);
• Birds (partridge);
• Foxes;
• Granivorous (gopher).

The ecosystem includes all living organisms (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms), which, to one degree or another, interact with each other and their inanimate environment (climate, soil, sunlight, air, atmosphere, water, etc.).

The ecosystem has no definite size. It can be as big as a desert or a lake, or as small as a tree or a puddle. Water, temperature, plants, animals, air, light and soil all interact together.

The essence of the ecosystem

In an ecosystem, each organism has its own place or role.

Consider the ecosystem of a small lake. In it, you can find all kinds of living organisms, from microscopic to animals and plants. They depend on things such as water, sunlight, air, and even the amount nutrients in water. (Click to learn more about the five basic needs of living organisms).

Lake ecosystem diagram

Every time "foreigner" ( creature(a) or external factor, e.g. temperature increase) are introduced into the ecosystem, disastrous consequences. This happens because new organism(or factor) is capable of distorting the natural balance of interaction and causing potential harm or destruction to a non-native ecosystem.

Generally, the biotic members of an ecosystem, together with their abiotic factors, depend on each other. This means the absence of one member or one abiotic factor can affect the entire ecological system.

If there is not enough light and water, or if the soil is low in nutrients, the plants may die. If the plants die, the animals that depend on them are also at risk. If animals that depend on plants die, other animals that depend on them will also die. The ecosystem in nature works the same way. All of its parts must function together to maintain balance!

Unfortunately, ecosystems can be destroyed by natural disasters such as fires, floods, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions. Human activity also contributes to the destruction of many ecosystems and.

Main types of ecosystems

Ecological systems have indefinite dimensions. They are able to exist in a small space, for example, under a stone, a rotting tree stump or in a small lake, and also occupy large areas (like the entire rainforest). From a technical point of view, our planet can be called one huge ecosystem.

Diagram of a small rotting stump ecosystem

Types of ecosystems depending on the scale:

• microecosystem- a small scale ecosystem like a pond, puddle, tree stump, etc.
• mesoecosystem- an ecosystem, such as a forest or a large lake.
• Biome. A very large ecosystem or collection of ecosystems with similar biotic and abiotic factors, such as an entire rainforest with millions of animals and trees, and many different water bodies.

Ecosystem boundaries are not marked with clear lines. They are often separated by geographical barriers such as deserts, mountains, oceans, lakes, and rivers. Since boundaries are not strictly fixed, ecosystems tend to merge with each other. This is why a lake can have many smaller ecosystems with their own unique characteristics. Scientists call this mixing "Ecoton".

Types of ecosystems by type of occurrence:

In addition to the above types of ecosystems, there is also a division into natural and artificial ecological systems. A natural ecosystem is created by nature (forest, lake, steppe, etc.), and an artificial one is created by man (garden, garden plot, park, field, etc.).

Ecosystem types

There are two main types of ecosystems: aquatic and terrestrial. Every other ecosystem in the world falls into one of these two categories.

Terrestrial ecosystems

Terrestrial ecosystems can be found anywhere in the world and are subdivided into:

forest ecosystems

These are ecosystems in which there is an abundance of vegetation or a large number of organisms living in a relatively small space. Thus, the density of living organisms in forest ecosystems is quite high. small change in this ecosystem can affect its entire balance. Also, in such ecosystems one can find great amount fauna representatives. In addition, forest ecosystems are divided into:

• Tropical evergreen forests or tropical rainforests: receiving an average rainfall of more than 2000 mm per year. They are characterized by dense vegetation dominated by tall trees located at different heights. These areas are a haven for various kinds animals.
• Tropical deciduous forests: Along with a huge variety of tree species, shrubs are also found here. This type Forests are found in quite a few parts of the world and are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.
• : They have quite a few trees. It is dominated by evergreen trees that renew their foliage throughout the year.
• Broad-leaved forests: They are located in humid temperate regions that have sufficient rainfall. V winter months the trees are shedding their leaves.
• : Located directly in front, the taiga is defined by evergreen conifers, sub-zero temperatures for six months and acidic soils. In the warm season, you can meet a large number of migratory birds, insects and.

desert ecosystem

Desert ecosystems are located in desert regions and receive less than 250 mm of precipitation per year. They occupy about 17% of the entire land mass of the Earth. Due to extremely high temperature air, poor access to and intense sunlight, and not as rich as in other ecosystems.

grassland ecosystem

Grasslands are located in the tropical and temperate regions of the world. The area of ​​the meadow mainly consists of grasses, with a small number of trees and shrubs. The meadows are inhabited by grazing animals, insectivores and herbivores. There are two main types of meadow ecosystems:

• : Tropical grasslands that have a dry season and are characterized by singly growing trees. They provide food for a large number of herbivores, and are also a hunting ground for many predators.
• Prairies (temperate grasslands): This is an area with a moderate grass cover, completely devoid of large shrubs and trees. In the prairies, forbs and tall grasses are found, as well as arid climatic conditions.
• Steppe meadows: Territories of dry grasslands, which are located near semi-arid deserts. The vegetation of these grasslands is shorter than in the savannas and prairies. Trees are rare, and usually found on the banks of rivers and streams.

mountain ecosystems

The highlands provide a diverse range of habitats where a large number of animals and plants can be found. At altitude, harsh climatic conditions usually prevail, in which only alpine plants can survive. Animals that live high in the mountains have thick fur coats to protect them from the cold. The lower slopes are usually covered with coniferous forests.

Aquatic ecosystems

Aquatic ecosystem - an ecosystem located in an aquatic environment (for example, rivers, lakes, seas and oceans). It includes aquatic flora, fauna, and water properties, and is divided into two types: marine and freshwater ecological systems.

marine ecosystems

They are the largest ecosystems that cover about 71% of the Earth's surface and contain 97% of the planet's water. Sea water contains a large amount of dissolved minerals and salts. The marine ecological system is divided into:

• Oceanic (relatively shallow part of the ocean, which is located on the continental shelf);
• Profundal zone (deep water area not penetrated by sunlight);
• Bental region (area inhabited by benthic organisms);
• intertidal zone (a place between low and high tides);
• Estuaries;
• Coral reefs;
• Salt marshes;
• Hydrothermal vents where chemosynthetic feeders.

Many types of organisms live in marine ecosystems, namely: brown algae, corals, cephalopods, echinoderms, dinoflagellates, sharks, etc.

Freshwater ecosystems

Unlike marine ecosystems, freshwater ecosystems cover only 0.8% of the Earth's surface and contain 0.009% of the world's total water supply. There are three main types of freshwater ecosystems:

• Stagnant: Waters where there is no current, such as pools, lakes or ponds.
• Flowing: Fast moving waters such as streams and rivers.
• Wetlands: places where the soil is permanently or intermittently flooded.

Freshwater ecosystems are home to reptiles, amphibians and about 41% of the world's fish species. Fast-moving waters typically contain a higher concentration of dissolved oxygen, thereby supporting more biodiversity than stagnant pond or lake water.

Structure, components and factors of the ecosystem

An ecosystem is defined as a natural functional ecological unit consisting of living organisms (biocenosis) and their inanimate environment (abiotic or physico-chemical), which interact with each other and create a stable system. Pond, lake, desert, pasture, meadow, forest, etc. are common examples of ecosystems.

Each ecosystem consists of abiotic and biotic components:

Ecosystem structure

Abiotic components

Abiotic components are unrelated factors of life or physical environment, which affects the structure, distribution, behavior and interaction of living organisms.

Abiotic components are mainly represented by two types:

• climatic factors which include rain, temperature, light, wind, humidity, etc.
• Edaphic factors, including soil acidity, topography, mineralization, etc.

Importance of abiotic components

The atmosphere provides living organisms with carbon dioxide (for photosynthesis) and oxygen (for respiration). The processes of evaporation, transpiration and occur between the atmosphere and the surface of the Earth.

Solar radiation heats the atmosphere and evaporates water. Light is also essential for photosynthesis. provides plants with energy for growth and metabolism, as well as organic products to feed other life forms.

Most living tissue is made up of a high percentage of water, up to 90% or more. Few cells are able to survive if the water content falls below 10%, and most of them die when the water content is less than 30-50%.

Water is the medium through which mineral food products enter plants. It is also essential for photosynthesis. Plants and animals get water from the Earth's surface and soil. The main source of water is atmospheric precipitation.

Biotic Components

Living things, including plants, animals, and microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) present in an ecosystem are biotic components.

Based on their role in the ecological system, biotic components can be divided into three main groups:

• Producers produce organic substances from inorganic substances using solar energy;
• Consumers feed on ready-made organic substances produced by producers (herbivores, predators, etc.);
• Reducers. Bacteria and fungi that destroy dead organic compounds of producers (plants) and consumers (animals) for food, and throw them into environment simple substances(inorganic and organic) formed as by-products of their metabolism.

These simple substances are re-produced as a result of cyclical exchange of substances between the biotic community and the abiotic environment of the ecosystem.

Ecosystem levels

To understand the layers of an ecosystem, consider the following figure:

Ecosystem Tier Diagram

Individual

An individual is any living being or organism. Individuals do not breed with individuals from other groups. Animals, unlike plants, are usually included in this concept, since some representatives of the flora can interbreed with other species.

In the diagram above, you can see that gold fish interacts with the environment and will breed exclusively with members of its own species.

population

A population is a group of individuals of a given species that live in a particular geographical area v this moment time. (An example is the goldfish and representatives of its species). Note that a population includes individuals of the same species that may have various genetic differences such as coat/eye/skin color and body size.

Community

The community includes all living organisms in a certain area at a given time. It may contain populations of living organisms different types. In the diagram above, notice how goldfish, salmon, crabs, and jellyfish coexist in a particular environment. A large community usually includes biodiversity.

Ecosystem

An ecosystem includes communities of living organisms interacting with the environment. At this level, living organisms depend on other abiotic factors such as rocks, water, air, and temperature.

Biome

In simple terms, it is a collection of ecosystems that have similar characteristics with their abiotic factors adapted to the environment.

Biosphere

When we look at different biomes, each of which transitions into another, a huge community of people, animals and plants is formed, living in certain habitats. is the totality of all ecosystems present on Earth.

Food chain and energy in an ecosystem

All living beings must eat to get the energy they need to grow, move, and reproduce. But what do these living organisms eat? Plants get their energy from the sun, some animals eat plants and others eat animals. This ratio of feeding in an ecosystem is called the food chain. Food chains generally represent the sequence of who feeds on whom in a biological community.

The following are some of the living organisms that can fit in the food chain:

food chain diagram

The food chain is not the same as. The trophic web is a combination of many food chains and is a complex structure.

Energy transfer

Energy is transferred along food chains from one level to another. Part of the energy is used for growth, reproduction, movement and other needs, and is not available for the next level.

Shorter food chains store more energy than longer ones. The spent energy is absorbed by the environment.

artificial ecosystem - it is an anthropogenic, man-made ecosystem. All the basic laws of nature are valid for it, but unlike natural ecosystems, it cannot be considered as open. The creation and monitoring of small artificial ecosystems allows obtaining extensive information about the possible state of the environment due to large-scale human impacts on it. In order to produce agricultural products, a person creates an unstable, artificially created and regularly maintained agroecosystem (agrobiocenosis ) - fields, pastures, vegetable gardens, orchards, vineyards, etc.

Differences of agrocenoses from natural biocenoses: insignificant species diversity (agrocenosis consists of a small number of species with a high abundance); short supply chains; incomplete circulation of substances (part of the nutrients are taken out with the harvest); the source of energy is not only the Sun, but also human activities (reclamation, irrigation, fertilizer application); artificial selection (action natural selection weakened, the selection is carried out by a person); lack of self-regulation (regulation is carried out by a person), etc. Thus, agrocenoses are unstable systems and can exist only with the support of a person. As a rule, agroecosystems are characterized by high productivity compared to natural ecosystems.

Urban systems (urban systems) -- artificial systems (ecosystems) resulting from the development of cities, and representing the focus of the population, residential buildings, industrial, domestic, cultural facilities, etc.

The following territories can be distinguished in their composition: industrial zones , where industrial facilities of various sectors of the economy are concentrated and are the main sources of environmental pollution; residential areas (residential or sleeping areas) with residential buildings, office buildings, household, cultural facilities, etc.); recreational areas , intended for recreation of people (forest parks, recreation centers, etc.); transport systems and facilities , permeating the entire urban system (automobile and railways, metro, gas stations, garages, airfields, etc.). The existence of urban ecosystems is supported by agroecosystems and the energy of fossil fuels and the nuclear industry.

An ecosystem is a collection of living organisms that continuously exchange matter, information and energy with each other and the environment. Energy is defined as the ability to do work. Its properties are described by the laws of thermodynamics. The first law of thermodynamics, or the law of conservation of energy, states that energy can change from one form to another, but it does not disappear or be created anew.

The second law of thermodynamics says: in any transformation of energy, part of it is lost in the form of heat, i.e. becomes unavailable for further use. The measure of the amount of energy that is not available for use, or otherwise the measure of the change in order that occurs during the degradation of energy, is entropy. The higher the order of the system, the lower its entropy.

Spontaneous processes lead the system to a state of equilibrium with the environment, to the growth of entropy, the production of positive energy. If a non-living system unbalanced with the environment is isolated, then all movement in it will soon stop, the system as a whole will die out and turn into an inert group of matter that is in thermodynamic equilibrium with the environment, that is, in a state with maximum entropy.

This is the most probable state for the system and it will not be able to get out of it spontaneously without external influences. So, for example, a red-hot frying pan, having cooled down, having dissipated heat, does not heat up itself; the energy was not lost, it heated the air, but the quality of the energy changed, it can no longer do work. Thus, in non-living systems their equilibrium state is stable.

Living systems have one fundamental difference from non-living systems - they perform constant work against balancing with the environment. In living systems, a stable non-equilibrium state. Life is the only natural spontaneous process on Earth in which entropy decreases. This is possible because all living systems are open to energy exchange.

There is a huge amount of free energy from the Sun in the environment, and the living system itself contains components that have mechanisms for capturing, concentrating and then dissipating this energy in the environment. The dissipation of energy, that is, the increase in entropy, is a process characteristic of any system, both inanimate and living, and self-capture and concentration of energy is the ability of only a living system. At the same time, order and organization are extracted from the environment, that is, the development of negative energy - non-entropy. This process of formation of order in the system from the chaos of the environment is called self-organization. It leads to a decrease in the entropy of a living system, counteracts its balancing with the environment.

Thus, any living system, including an ecosystem, maintains its vital activity due, firstly, to the presence of an excess of free energy in the environment; secondly, the ability to capture and concentrate this energy, and when used, to disperse states with low entropy into the environment.

They capture the energy of the sun and turn it into potential energy. organic matter plants are producers. The energy received in the form of solar radiation is converted into the energy of chemical bonds during photosynthesis.

The solar energy reaching the Earth is distributed as follows: 33% of it is reflected by clouds and dust of the atmosphere (this is the so-called albedo or Earth's reflection coefficient), 67% is absorbed by the atmosphere, the Earth's surface and the ocean. Of this amount of absorbed energy, only about 1% is spent on photosynthesis, and the rest of the energy, heating the atmosphere, land and ocean, is re-radiated into space in the form of thermal (infrared) radiation. This 1% of energy is enough to provide it with all the living matter of the planet.

The process of energy accumulation in the body of photosynthetics is associated with an increase in body weight. Ecosystem productivity is the rate at which producers absorb radiant energy through photosynthesis, producing organic matter that can be used as food. The mass of substances created by the photosynthetic producer is referred to as primary production, this is the biomass of plant tissues. Primary production is subdivided into two levels - gross and net production. Gross primary production is the total mass of gross organic matter created by a plant per unit time at a given rate of photosynthesis, including expenditure on respiration (part of the energy that is spent on vital processes; this leads to a decrease in biomass).

That part of the gross output that is not spent "for breathing" is called net primary production. Net primary production is a reserve, from which part is used as food by organisms - heterotrophs (consumers of the first order). The energy received by heterotrophs with food (the so-called large energy) corresponds to the energy cost of the total amount of food eaten. However, the efficiency of digestion of food never reaches 100% and depends on the composition of the feed, temperature, season and other factors.

Functional connections in the ecosystem, i.e. its trophic structure can be depicted graphically, in the form of ecological pyramids. The base of the pyramid is the level of producers, and the subsequent levels form the floors and the top of the pyramid. There are three main types of ecological pyramids.

The pyramid of numbers (Elton's pyramid) reflects the number of organisms at each level. This pyramid reflects a regularity - the number of individuals that make up a series of links from producers to consumers is steadily decreasing.

The biomass pyramid clearly indicates the amount of all living matter at a given trophic level. In terrestrial ecosystems, the biomass pyramid rule applies: the total mass of plants exceeds the mass of all herbivores, and their mass exceeds the entire biomass of predators. For the ocean, the biomass pyramid rule is invalid - the pyramid has an inverted view. The ocean ecosystem is characterized by the accumulation of biomass on high levels, in predators.

The pyramid of energy (production) reflects the expenditure of energy in trophic chains. Energy pyramid rule: at each previous trophic level, the amount of biomass created per unit of time (or energy) is greater than at the next.

Unlike natural ecosystems, agroecosystems:

• cannot self-regulate due to the small number of species in them;
• weakly resistant, since the species in them are under the influence of not natural, but artificial selection;
• the source of energy for agrocenoses is not only the energy of the Sun, but also the energy consumed by man for irrigation, the production of fertilizers, and the operation of machines.

The rotation of elements in agroecosystems is accompanied by human intervention, as they are harvested along with the crop. To replenish these elements, mineral and organic fertilizers are applied to the soil.

Currently, about 10% of the land is arable land, and 20% is pasture. Most agroecosystems in Asia, Africa and South America are characterized by low fertility and are not able to produce enough products for industrial regions. Increasing the fertility of agro-ecosystems requires a large expenditure of energy for the production of fuel, chemical substances, machine operation. Often, the amount of energy expended exceeds the amount of energy contained in food products, which leads to a decrease in the profitability of agroecosystems in an economic crisis.

Artificially created ecosystems require constant monitoring. Agro-ecosystems consisting of a particular species (for example, cotton) can provide temporary economic benefits. However, the monoculture of cotton over very large areas leads to a change in the structure of the soil, its sterilization, the reproduction of pests and, in the end, to the death of the ecosystem.

The introduction of crop rotations, the introduction of additional components into the ecological community, such as insectivorous (entomophages) and pollinating bees, contribute to the stabilization of the ecological system. material from the site

To increase the fertility of such natural ecosystems as deserts, meadows and steppes, which are pastures, you can use the sowing of high-yielding grasses, fertilizers and artificial irrigation of the soil (Fig. 73).

Further increase in the economic efficiency of agrocenoses requires the use of industrial technologies for processing crops, the use of genetic engineering and biotechnology methods to create new plant varieties and their hybrids.

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ecological system or an ecosystem is considered by science as a large-scale interaction of living organisms with their non-living environment. They influence each other, and their cooperation allows life to be sustained. The concept of "ecosystem" is generalized, it does not have physical size, since it includes the ocean and, and at the same time a small puddle and a flower. Ecosystems are very diverse, they depend on a large number of factors, such as climate, geological conditions and human activities.

General concept

To fully understand the term "ecosystem" consider it on the example of a forest. A forest is not just a large number of trees or shrubs, but a complex set of interconnected elements of living and non-living (earth, sunlight, air) nature. Living organisms include:

• insects;
• lichens;
• bacteria;
• mushrooms.

Each organism performs its clearly defined role, and general work of all living and non-living elements creates a balance for the smooth operation of the ecosystem. Every time an outside agent or a new living being enters an ecosystem, negative consequences can occur, causing destruction and potential harm. The ecosystem can be destroyed as a result of human activity or natural disasters.

Ecosystem types

Depending on the scale of manifestation, there are three main types of ecosystems:

1. Macroecosystem. A large system made up of small systems. An example is the desert, or the ocean inhabited by thousands of species of marine animals and plants.
2. Mesoecosystem. Ecosystem of a small size (a pond, a forest area or a separate clearing).
3. Microecosystem. A small ecosystem that imitates in miniature the nature of various ecosystems (an aquarium, an animal corpse, a stump, a pool of water inhabited by microorganisms).

The uniqueness of ecosystems is that they do not have clearly defined boundaries. Most often they complement each other or are separated by deserts, oceans and seas.

Man plays a significant role in the life of ecosystems. In our time, to meet its own goals, mankind creates new and destroys existing ecological systems. Depending on the method of formation, ecosystems are also divided into two groups:

1. natural ecosystem. It is created as a result of the forces of nature, is able to independently recover and create vicious circle substances from creation to decay.
2. Artificial or anthropogenic ecosystem. It consists of plants and animals that live in conditions created by human hands (field, pasture, reservoir, botanical garden).

One of the largest artificial ecosystems is the city. Man invented it for the convenience of his own existence and created artificial energy inflows in the form of gas and water pipelines, electricity and heating. However, an artificial ecosystem requires additional inflows of energy and substances from outside.

global ecosystem

The totality of all ecological systems makes up the global ecosystem -. It is the largest set of interactions between living and inanimate nature On the Earth. It is in balance due to the balance of a huge variety of ecosystems and a variety of species of living organisms. It is so huge that it covers:

• earth's surface;
• the upper part of the lithosphere;
• the lower part of the atmosphere;
• all bodies of water.

Thanks to the constant, the global ecosystem has maintained its vital activity for billions of years.