All that forms around the world - natural communities characteristic of those or other conditions - is a holistic system.The elements of this structure directly or indirectly interact with each other.What are the natural areas and communities?How do they differ from each other?How to interact with the natural community of organisms?This - continued.
Biogeocoenosis
This definition is introduced for the first time Vladimir Sukachev - Russian scientific figure, geobotanist.The concept biogeocoenosis (bios - "life", "earth" - n, koynos - "general") is considered to be a system of a higher than biostructure "body" level.This is due primarily to the fact that the reaction is carried out not in between the bodies.As part biogeocoenose relationships occur between different types of living organisms.Together they perform specific functions, ensure the integrity of existence biogeocoenose.
Ecosystem
Different species are distributed over the surface of the planet is not uniform, and in accordance with local conditions.As a result, they form a natural "groupings."The interaction of living organisms under abiotic components of the zone ensured the unity community.This is also called the integrity of the ecosystem (ecological system).This concept, along with the definition of "biogeocoenosis" serves as a description of the natural community.But while these definitions are different characteristics of the system.Thus, the term "ecosystem" is usually used in cases where the relationships are considered the natural elements within the community."Biogeocoenosis" is usually used to characterize a particular, specific natural system, which occupies a given territory, and its interaction with other "gangs".Examples of natural communities are: the field, the continent, the river and others.
Animals
considering examples of natural communities, it is necessary to take into account the impact that the animals in these structures.Often, it is believed that wild animals are free to choose their place of residence, to live where and how they want.But in fact it is not.If we consider the examples of natural communities, the composition of groups of animals in certain circumstances, it can be seen not random, but quite certain set of species typical of a particular system.As a result, quite clearly visible concrete relationships of plants and animals.In turn, representatives of flora and fauna interact with microorganisms, which are also within the boundaries of the natural range.Natural Community seas and oceans differ in species diversity, conditions in which there are the participants from other ecosystems.But despite this, the general principles of interaction are saved regardless of the circumstances.
General
any natural communities is a complex of different organisms.As part of the same conditions of the presence of animals, plants, micro-organisms.All of them have an impact on each other and are adapted to the specific conditions of existence in a particular area.Within this "ecosystem" is formed and maintained by circulation of various substances.The scale of the ecological system may be different.To include major natural communities of seas and oceans.Thus smaller ecosystems incorporated into larger.So, the natural community of the swamp may be included in the taiga ecosystem.In addition to natural systems, there are artificial.They create people.These are examples of natural communities ponds, aquariums, zoos and others.
Food Interactions within ecosystems
Regardless of what is considered a natural community (the swamp, the mainland, pond, etc.) inside it has a range of interaction.The primary relationship is the interaction of food.The basic, primary element contributing to the formation of the energy reserve, which includes the natural Any Community (sea, taiga, and others), are plants.They only using solar energy, capable of minerals, carbon dioxide present in the water or in the soil to form organic compound.Plants are food for herbivorous vertebrates and invertebrates.They, in turn, feed on predators - carnivorous birds.So there are dietary links.The power circuit looks in general as follows: plant-animals (herbivores) -hischniki.In some cases this may be complicated by the addition of a chain of intermediaries.For example, the first may be predators for food Secondly, those in turn, to the third and so on.So, natural communities may include caterpillars that eat the plants.These entities, in turn, are food for any predatory insects that feed on insect-eating birds that are prey for birds of prey animals.Considering the various examples of natural communities, we can see that as part of any ecosystem there being food which is waste: dead plants or their parts (leaves, branches), the bodies of dead animals or their feces.These include, in particular, include earthworms, beetles and other gravediggers.However, the main role in the decomposition of organic substances belong to bacteria and molds.It is thanks to them that there is a change of organic matter to mineral compounds that can be used again later plants.So it carried out the cycling of matter.
Climate
considering any natural community (Ocean continent), you can see apart from the food, and other communications.Thus, the plants form a certain climate, a microclimate.Various factors nonliving environment - humidity, temperature, air movement, light and others - under the vegetation cover will have significant differences from the general to the same area.Thus, the natural communities of the rainforest humid day is different.Happy is a cool and shady, at night the same time, by contrast, is much warmer than in the open.Or a meadow, for example, the humidity and the surface temperature of the earth would be different from those observed on the bare surface.In addition, the plant cover prevents erosion - soil erosion and sputtering.The microclimate affects the livelihoods and species composition of animals that inhabit the area.The individuals selected for their dwelling places in which not only have the necessary food, but in general, the climate, temperature, humidity and other conditions are optimal.
Effect of animals on the ecosystem
First of all, many flowering varieties of plants pollinated by insects, and in some cases certain types of them, and if they are absent, the plants can not reproduce.Spread the seeds of some species of flora is also carried by animals.In addition, the activities of some species of living creatures have a significant impact on the safety of certain conditions in the ecosystem.Thus, for example, earthworms, leading digging lifestyle contribute to the loosening of the soil, whereby it is easier to penetrate deeper and air, water, and the faster the degradation processes of various organic residues.
Changing ecosystems by species changes
Such processes can occur under the influence of abiotic, biotic factors, and as a result of human activity.Changing the natural communities of life due to the influence of different organisms continues to hundreds and thousands of years.The main role in all these processes owned plants.There are various examples of natural communities, which were modified under the influence of external factors.The speed of change in this case depends on different circumstances.You can consider the ecosystem "lake".The natural community - in this case, the body of water - gradually begins to decrease and shallow.Over time, it appears on the bottom silt.His coat begins to grow: accumulate remnants of coastal and aquatic animals and plants, washed off from the slopes of soil particles.In the course of how the pond shallower, begin to grow on the banks of reeds and rushes, sedges and then.So the lake - a natural community of the same type - mutates and becomes qualitatively different ecosystem.The accumulation of organic matter is accelerating, forming peat deposits.Some plant and animal species are replaced by others more suited to life in a new environment.This results in a new natural community - swamp.However, it should be noted that changes in the ecosystem continue.As a result, it may appear quite hardy trees and shrubs.And gradually, on the site of the reservoir there is already a forest.
Changing ecosystems due to human activities
above were examples of natural communities that have changed in nature in connection with the replacement of species.It should be noted that the emergence of new plants, animals, microorganisms, fungi, and the formation of new conditions - a process long enough, and can last tens, hundreds, or even thousands of years.But the change of ecosystems by human activity is much quicker.In some cases, it may be enough, even a few years, instead of one ecosystem to another appeared.So, if in the same lake - a natural community with a certain species composition of plants and living beings - are beginning to dump waste water, waste, fertilizers from the fields, the oxygen present in the water begins to be spent on the oxidation.As a result of inhabiting this ecosystem types are beginning to receive less oxygen and other nutritional compounds.This provokes the death of many plants and living creatures.As a result, significantly reduced species diversity.Some plants are beginning to replace other water begins to "bloom".In place of food fish coming "low-value" species disappear, many insects, mollusks, bacteria.As a result - once a rich ecosystem turns into a decaying body of water.
Restoring ecological system
If the human influence on a certain stage is terminated (even when the condition is not quite running), the natural community in the self-healing process begins.And there again, the main role is given to plants.For example, in the pastures at the end of grazing begin to appear tall grass.The lake runs a natural cleansing process have spread from unicellular algae, blue-green, with the result that once again begin to appear crustaceans, molluscs and fish.In case if the trophic structure and species are too simplistic and self-healing process is simply not possible, the person has to intervene again in the ecosystem.But in this case its activity is not aimed at the destruction.Thus, for example, begin to drop off pasture grasses, forest tree planting implement.The ponds are cleaned, and then start them young fish.Thus, we can conclude that the recovery of the natural community is possible only if the partial violations.In this regard, human activities shall not exceed the threshold, after which the process of self-regulation is not possible.
Influence of abiotic factors
development and change of natural communities occur under the influence of a sharp change in weather conditions, fluctuations in solar activity, volcanic activity, mountain-building processes.These and other factors are called abiotic inanimate nature.They provoke breach of the stability of the habitat of living organisms.It should be noted that the ecosystems have not unlimited powers to recover.And if an external impact is above a certain limit, the natural community undergo destruction.The one area in which there will be changes, will act as a source of ecological imbalance.And even if it is possible to restore the ecosystem, that it can do much more than current conservation activities.
Factors causing the capacity for self-regulation of ecosystems
Independent recovery of natural communities is made possible due to the natural diversity of living creatures that are a result of long-term co-evolution adapted to each other.In the case of reducing the number of any type of liberated their ecological niche takes a while he kind of the same, preventing the development of those or other destabilizing processes.But a different situation occurs if one link in the chain has dropped completely.In this case, "mutual safety net" of species may not work, some resources no longer used - there is an ecological imbalance.During the subsequent depletion of existing species composition shape the excessive accumulation of organic compounds, colonization of alien species, a sharp increase in the number of insects and other things.As a rule, the first rare species begin to disappear.Their scarcity is due to the demanding conditions of the environment and sensitivity to change.In a stable natural communities such categories should be present among other groups of organisms.Their presence in the chain is an indicator of the safety of the natural biodiversity in general, the usefulness of the whole ecological system.
Circulation of substances
This process ensures that species that occupy different trophic levels:
- Generating organic from inorganic materials - producers.First of all, it's a green plant.
- consuming phytomass consuments 1st order.These include invertebrate and vertebrate herbivores living beings.
- consuming consuments 1st order, consuments 2nd and higher orders.These include, in particular, predatory fish, spiders, insects, reptiles, amphibians, insect-eating mammals, carnivorous birds.
- Corruptor dead organic elements decomposers.These mainly include the soil organisms.
Studies show full of natural communities, rare species that are present at each trophic level.The highest indicator of ecosystem stability is the presence of viable populations of consumers of the highest order.These species are placed on the top of the food structure, and their status depends on the status of the whole system.One of the most important characteristics of the species is the size of the territory, which is the minimum necessary for the existence and development of a viable population.
