Ecosystems: natural and artificial. Ecosystems is one of the key concepts of ecology, which is a system that includes several

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. So, the totality of populations determines the features of the functioning of the biocenosis, which includes whole line biological species.

But under natural conditions, populations interact not only with each other, but also with a variety of conditions. environment. 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 a scientific point of view, 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, eating at the expense of previously stored nutrients and the water of 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 similar communities different type 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, or a garden with vegetable crops independently produces no more than a year, perennial herbaceous plants - about three. The record holder in this regard is the garden, fruit crops which are able to develop independently up to 20 years.

Natural ecosystems receive only solar energy. Humans introduce it into agrobiocenoses additional sources in the form of tillage, fertilizer, aeration, weed and pest control. However, many cases are known when human economic activity 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. Recently, such a concept as urbanization has been widely developed - increasing the role of cities in human life. 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 area 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 for their germination it is necessary long time. 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.

All living organisms do not live on Earth in isolation from each other, but form communities. Everything in them is interconnected, both living organisms and such formation in nature is called an ecosystem that lives according to its own specific laws and has specific features and qualities that we will try to get acquainted with.

The concept of an ecosystem

There is such a science as ecology, which studies But these relationships can only be carried out within the framework of a certain ecosystem and occur not spontaneously and chaotically, but according to certain laws.

There are different types of ecosystems, but all of them are a collection of living organisms that interact with each other and with the environment through the exchange of substances, energy and information. That is why the ecosystem remains stable and sustainable over a long period of time.

Ecosystem classification

Despite the great diversity of ecosystems, they are all open, without which their existence would be impossible. The types of ecosystems are different, and the classification may be different. If we keep in mind the origin, then ecosystems are:

1. natural or natural. In them, all interaction is carried out without the direct participation of a person. They, in turn, are divided into:

• Ecosystems that are completely dependent on solar energy.
• Systems that receive energy from both the sun and other sources.

2. Artificial ecosystems. Created by human hands, and can only exist with his participation. They are also divided into:

• Agro-ecosystems, that is, those that are associated with human activities.
• Technoecosystems appear in connection with the industrial activities of people.
• urban ecosystems.

Another classification distinguishes the following types of natural ecosystems:

1. Ground:

• Rainforests.
• Desert with grassy and shrubby vegetation.
• Savannah.
• Steppes.
• Deciduous forest.
• Tundra.

2. Freshwater ecosystems:

• stagnant reservoirs
• Flowing waters (rivers, streams).
• Swamps.

3. Marine ecosystems:

• Ocean.
• continental shelf.
• Fishing areas.
• Mouths of rivers, bays.
• Deep water rift zones.

Regardless of the classification, one can see the diversity of ecosystem species, which is characterized by its set of life forms and numerical composition.

Distinguishing features of an ecosystem

The concept of an ecosystem can be attributed to both natural formations and artificially created by man. If we talk about natural, then they are characterized by the following features:

• In any ecosystem, the essential elements are living organisms and abiotic environmental factors.
• In any ecosystem, there is a closed cycle from the production of organic substances to their decomposition into inorganic components.
• The interaction of species in ecosystems ensures stability and self-regulation.

Whole the world It is represented by various ecosystems, which are based on living matter with a certain structure.

Biotic structure of an ecosystem

Even if ecosystems differ in species diversity, abundance of living organisms, their life forms, the biotic structure in any of them is still the same.

Any types of ecosystems include the same components; without their presence, the functioning of the system is simply impossible.

1. Producers.
2. Consumers of the second order.
3. Reducers.

The first group of organisms includes all plants that are capable of the process of photosynthesis. They produce organic matter. This group also includes chemotrophs, which form organic compounds. But only for this they use not solar energy, but the energy of chemical compounds.

Consumers include all organisms that need organic matter from outside to build their bodies. This includes all herbivorous organisms, predators and omnivores.

Decomposers, which include bacteria, fungi, convert the remains of plants and animals into inorganic compounds suitable for use by living organisms.

Functioning of ecosystems

The largest biological system is the biosphere, which, in turn, consists of individual components. You can make the following chain: species-population-ecosystem. The smallest unit in an ecosystem is the species. In each biogeocenosis, their number can vary from several tens to hundreds and thousands.

Regardless of the number of individuals and individual species in any ecosystem, there is a constant exchange of matter and energy not only among themselves, but also with the environment.

If we talk about the exchange of energy, then it is quite possible to apply the laws of physics. The first law of thermodynamics states that energy does not disappear without a trace. It only changes from one species to another. According to the second law, closed system energy can only increase.

If physical laws are applied to ecosystems, then we can come to the conclusion that they support their vital activity due to the presence of solar energy, which organisms are able not only to capture, but also to transform, use, and then release into the environment.

Energy is transferred from one trophic level to another; during the transfer, one type of energy is converted into another. Part of it, of course, is lost in the form of heat.

Whatever types of natural ecosystems exist, such laws operate absolutely in each.

Ecosystem structure

If we consider any ecosystem, then it is sure to see that various categories, for example, producers, consumers and decomposers, are always represented by a whole set of species. Nature provides that if something suddenly happens to one of the species, then the ecosystem will not die from this, it can always be successfully replaced by another. This explains the stability of natural ecosystems.

A large variety of species in the ecosystem, diversity ensures the stability of all processes that take place within the community.

In addition, any system has its own laws, which all living organisms obey. Based on this, several structures can be distinguished within the biogeocenosis:

Any structure is necessarily present in any ecosystem, but it can differ significantly. For example, if we compare the biogeocenosis of the desert and the rainforest, the difference is visible to the naked eye.

artificial ecosystems

Such systems are created by human hands. Despite the fact that in them, as in natural ones, all components of the biotic structure are necessarily present, there are still significant differences. Among them are the following:

1. Agrocenoses are characterized by poor species composition. Only those plants grow there that man grows. But nature takes its toll, and always, for example, on a wheat field you can see cornflowers, daisies, various arthropods settle. In some systems, even birds have time to build a nest on the ground and hatch chicks.
2. If a person does not take care of this ecosystem, then cultivated plants cannot compete with their wild relatives.
3. Agrocenoses also exist due to the additional energy that a person brings, for example, by applying fertilizers.
4. Since the grown biomass of plants is withdrawn along with the harvest, the soil is depleted in nutrients. Therefore, for further existence, again, the intervention of a person who will have to fertilize in order to grow the next crop is necessary.

It can be concluded that artificial ecosystems do not belong to sustainable and self-regulating systems. If a person stops caring for them, they will not survive. Gradually, wild species will displace cultivated plants, and the agrocenosis will be destroyed.

For example, an artificial ecosystem of three types of organisms can easily be created at home. If you put an aquarium, pour water into it, place a few branches of elodea and settle two fish, here you have an artificial system ready. Even such a simple one cannot exist without human intervention.

The value of ecosystems in nature

Globally speaking, all living organisms are distributed across ecosystems, so their importance is difficult to underestimate.

1. All ecosystems are interconnected by the circulation of substances that can migrate from one system to another.
2. Due to the presence of ecosystems in nature, biological diversity is preserved.
3. All the resources that we draw from nature are given to us by ecosystems: clean water, air,

Any ecosystem is very easy to destroy, especially given the capabilities of man.

Ecosystems and man

Since the appearance of man, his influence on nature has increased every year. Developing, man imagined himself the king of nature, began to destroy plants and animals without hesitation, destroy natural ecosystems, thereby began to cut the branch on which he himself sits.

By interfering with centuries-old ecosystems and violating the laws of the existence of organisms, man has led to the fact that already all ecologists of the world are shouting with one voice that the world has come. Most scientists are sure that natural disasters, which have recently begun to occur more often, are nature's response to the thoughtless interference of man in its laws. It's time to stop and think that any kind of ecosystems were formed for centuries, long before the appearance of man, and perfectly existed without him. Can humanity live without nature? The answer suggests itself.

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 observation 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 (the effect of natural selection is weakened, selection is carried out by man); 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, administrative buildings, objects of everyday life, culture, 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 to 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 convert it into potential energy of the organic matter of the plant - 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 mass. 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 great 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 represented graphically, in the form 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 pattern - 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.

Comparison of natural and simplified anthropogenic ecosystems (according to Miller, 1993)

natural ecosystem (swamp, meadow, forest)	Anthropogenic ecosystem (field, plant, house)
Receives, transforms, accumulates solar energy.	Consumes energy from fossil and nuclear fuels.
Produces oxygen and consumes carbon dioxide.	Consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide when fossil fuels are burned.
Forms fertile soil.	Depletes or poses a threat to fertile soils.
Accumulates, purifies and gradually consumes water.	Uses a lot of water, pollutes it.
Creates habitats various kinds wildlife.	Destroys the habitats of many species of wildlife.
Filters and disinfects pollutants and waste free of charge.	Produces pollutants and waste that must be decontaminated at the expense of the public.
It has the ability of self-preservation and self-healing.	Requires large expenditures for constant maintenance and restoration.

The main goal of the created agricultural systems is the rational use of those biological resources, which are directly involved in the sphere of human activity - sources of food products, technological raw materials, medicines.

Agroecosystems are created by man to obtain a high yield - pure production of autotrophs.

Summarizing everything that has already been said about agroecosystems, we emphasize the following main differences from natural ones (Table 2).

1. In agroecosystems, the diversity of species is sharply reduced:

§ the decrease in the species of cultivated plants also reduces the visible diversity of the animal population of the biocenosis;

§ the species diversity of animals bred by man is negligible compared to the natural one;

§ cultivated pastures (with sowing of grasses) are similar in species diversity to agricultural fields.

2. Plant and animal species cultivated by man "evolve" through artificial selection and are not competitive in the fight against wild species without human support.

3. Agro-ecosystems receive additional energy subsidized by man, in addition to solar energy.

4. Net production (crop) is removed from the ecosystem and does not enter the food chains of the biocenosis, but its partial use by pests, losses during harvesting, which can also fall into natural trophic chains. In every possible way suppressed by man.

5. Ecosystems of fields, orchards, pastures, vegetable gardens and other agrocenoses are simplified systems supported by man in the early stages of succession, and they are just as unstable and incapable of self-regulation as natural pioneer communities, and therefore cannot exist without human support.

table 2

Comparative characteristics of natural ecosystems and agroecosystems.

natural ecosystems	Agroecosystems
Primary natural elementary units of the biosphere, formed in the course of evolution.	Secondary human-transformed artificial elementary units of the biosphere.
Complex systems with a significant number of animal and plant species dominated by populations of several species. They are characterized by a stable dynamic balance achieved by self-regulation.	Simplified systems with the dominance of populations of one species of plant and animal. They are stable and characterized by the variability of the structure of their biomass.
Productivity is determined by the adapted characteristics of the organisms involved in the cycle of substances.	Productivity is determined by the level of economic activity and depends on economic and technical capabilities.
Primary production is used by animals and participates in the cycle of substances. "Consumption" occurs almost simultaneously with "production".	The crop is harvested to meet human needs and to feed livestock. Living matter accumulates for some time without being consumed. The highest productivity develops only for a short time.

Ecosystems are one of key concepts 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:

• 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 most general view, 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 the natural ecosystem are closely interconnected. 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 high costs before we 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 high yield of 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.

One more distinguishing feature artificial ecosystems - an 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 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