Comparative characteristics of natural and disturbed ecosystems table. Agroecosystems or agrocenoses

Having worked through these topics, you should be able to:

Give definitions: "ecology", "ecological factor", "photoperiodism", "ecological niche", "habitat", "population", "biocenosis", "ecosystem", "producer", "consumer", "reducer", "succession", "agrocenosis".
Give examples of photoperiodic reactions of plants and, if possible, animals.
Explain the difference between the habitat of a population and its niche. Give examples for each of these concepts.
Comment on Shelford's law and be able to build a graph of the dependence of organisms on abiotic environmental factors.
Describe an example of a successful biological method pest control.
Explain the causes of the population explosion and the possible consequences, as well as the significance of the decline in fertility that usually follows the decline in mortality.
Build a diagram of the food chain; correctly indicate the traphic level of each component of a given ecosystem.
Build a diagram of a simple cycle of the following elements: oxygen, nitrogen, carbon.
Describe the events that occur when the lake is overgrown; after deforestation.
Point out the differences between agrocenosis and biocenosis.
Explain the meaning and structure of the biosphere.
Explain how agriculture, the use of fossil fuels and the production of plastics contribute to environmental pollution and propose measures to prevent it.

Ivanova T.V., Kalinova G.S., Myagkova A.N. " General biology". Moscow," Education ", 2000

Topic 18. "Habitat. Environmental factors. "chapter 1; pp. 10-58
Topic 19. "Populations. Types of relationships between organisms." chapter 2 §8-14; p. 60-99; chapter 5 § 30-33
Topic 20. "Ecosystems." chapter 2 §15-22; pp. 106-137
Topic 21. "Biosphere. Cycles of substances." chapter 6 §34-42; pp. 217-290

Nature is multifaceted and beautiful. We can say that this is a whole system that includes both living and inanimate nature. There are many other different systems inside it, inferior to it in scale. But not all of them are completely created by nature. In some of them, humans contribute. The anthropogenic factor can radically change the natural landscape and its orientation.

Agroecosystem - emerged as a result of anthropogenic activities. People can plow the land, plant trees on the territory, but whatever we do, we have always been and will be surrounded by nature. This is some of its peculiarity. How are agroecosystems different from natural ecosystems? This is worth understanding.

generally

In general, an ecological system is any combination of organic and inorganic components in which there is a cycle of substances.

Whether natural or man-made, it is still an ecological system. But still, how do agroecosystems differ from natural ecosystems? Everything in order.

Natural ecosystem

A natural system, or, as it is also called, biogeocenosis, is a combination of organic and inorganic components on an area of 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. Consumables are those who eat plants. It is worth noting that they belong to the first order. In addition, there are consumers of other orders. And finally, another group is the reducers group. It is customary to include various kinds of bacteria and fungi here.

Natural ecosystem structure

In any ecosystem, food chains, food webs, and trophic levels are distinguished. The food chain is the sequential transfer of energy. All chains that are interconnected are called a food web. Trophic levels are the places that organisms occupy in food chains. Producers belong to the very first level, to the second they refer to consumers of the first order, to the third - of the second order, and so on.

The saprophytic chain, or otherwise detrital, begins with dead remains and ends with some kind of animal. There is an omnivorous food chain. Grazing) in any case begins with photosynthetic organisms.

This is all about biogeocenosis. How do agroecosystems differ from natural ecosystems?

Agroecosystem

An agroecosystem is a human-made ecosystem. These include gardens, arable lands, vineyards, parks.

Like the previous one, the agroecosystem includes the following blocks: producers, consumers, decomposers. The first include cultivated plants, weeds, plants of pastures, gardens and forest belts. Consumables are all farm animals and humans. A block of decomposers is a complex of soil organisms.

Types of agroecosystems

Creation of anthropogenic landscapes includes several types:

agricultural landscapes: arable land, pastures, irrigated land, orchards and others;
forest: forest parks, forest 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, the systems are divided into:

agrosphere (global ecosystem),
agricultural landscape,
agroecosystem,
agrocenosis.

Depending on the energy characteristics of natural zones, the division takes place into:

tropical;
subtropical;
moderate;
arctic types.

The first is characterized by a high supply of heat, continuous vegetation and the predominance of perennial crops. The second has two growing seasons, 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.

Variety of signs

All cultivated plants must have certain properties. Firstly, high environmental plasticity, that is, the ability to produce crops in wide range fluctuations in climatic conditions.

Secondly, the heterogeneity of populations, that is, in each of them there should be plants that are different in such characteristics as flowering time, drought resistance, frost resistance.

Thirdly, early maturity - the ability for rapid development, which will outstrip the development of weeds.

Fourth, resistance to fungal and other diseases.

Fifthly, it is resistant to harmful insects.

Comparative and agroecosystems

In addition, as mentioned above, these ecosystems are very different in a number of other features. Unlike natural ones, in the agroecosystem, the main consumer is the person himself. It is he who seeks to maximize the production of primary (crop) and secondary (livestock) products. The second consumer is farm animals.

The second difference is that the agroecosystem is formed and regulated by humans. Many people ask the question why an agroecosystem is less resilient than an ecosystem. The thing is that in them the ability for self-regulation and self-renewal is poorly expressed. They exist only for a short time without human participation.

The next difference is selection. The sustainability of the natural ecosystem is ensured by natural selection. In the agroecosystem, it is artificial, provided by humans 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. Typically, plants grown by humans include several species, while the natural ecosystem is extremely diverse.

The different nutritional balance is another difference. The products of plants in the natural ecosystem are used in many food chains, but are nevertheless returned to the system nonetheless. It turns out the circulation of substances.

How are agroecosystems different from natural ecosystems?

Natural and agroecosystems differ in many respects from each other: plants, consumption, vitality, resistance to pests and diseases, species diversity, type of selection and many other traits.

A man-made ecosystem has both advantages and disadvantages. The natural system, in turn, cannot have any disadvantages. Everything in it is beautiful and harmonious.

When creating artificial systems, a person must take good care of nature so as not to violate this harmony.

Practical work number 4

Topic: "Comparative description of natural systems and agroecosystems."

1.. Target: consolidate knowledge about the structure of ecosystems, learn how to compose a description of natural and artificial ecosystems, explain the differences between them and their meaning;

2. Execution order:

3.1. Working out terms and concepts.

3.2. Execution of work, solution of tasks.

3.3. Test task execution.

3. Report outline:

4.1. Topic and purpose of the lesson.

4.2. Answers to tasks.

4.3. Test task answers.

Equipment : textbook, tables

Progress.

Exercise 1. Study the description of the natural ecosystem and distribute the inhabitants of the forest into 3 groups (producers, consumers, decomposers). Compile 3 food chains characteristic of this ecosystem.

The deciduous forest biocenosis is characterized not only by species diversity, but also by a complex structure. The plants that live in the forest differ in the height of their terrestrial parts. In this regard, in plant communities there are several"Floors"or tiers. The first tier - woody - make up the mostlight-loving species - oak, linden. The second tier includes less light-loving and shorter-growing trees - pear, maple, apple. The third layer consists of bushes of hazel, euonymus, viburnum, etc. The fourth layer is herbaceous. The roots of plants are distributed on the same floors. Tiered land plants and their roots make better use of sunlight and mineral reserves of the soil. In the grass layer, the vegetation cover changes during the season. One group of herbs, called ephemerals, are light-loving. These are lungwort, crested, anemone; they begin to grow in early spring, when there is no foliage on the trees and the soil surface is brightly lit. In a short time, these herbs manage to form flowers, bear fruit and accumulate reserve nutrients. In summer, shade-tolerant plants develop in these places under the cover of blossoming trees. In addition to plants, the forest lives: in the soil - bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa, round and ringed worms, insect larvae and adult insects. In the grass and shrub layers, spiders weave their webs. Higher in crowns hardwood caterpillars of moths, silkworms, leafworms, adult forms of leaf beetles, beetles are abundant. The terrestrial layers are inhabited by numerous vertebrates - amphibians, reptiles, various birds, among mammals - rodents (voles, mice), lagomorphs, ungulates (elks, deer), predatory - foxes, wolves. Moles are found in the upper layers of the soil.

Task 2. Study the agrocenosis of the wheat field and divide the forest inhabitants into 3 groups (producers, consumers, decomposers). Make 3 food chains typical for this agroecosystem.

Its vegetation consists, in addition to the wheat itself, also various weeds: white gauze, field thistle, yellow sweet clover, field bindweed, creeping wheatgrass. In addition to voles and other rodents, there are granivores and predator birds, foxes, wagtail, earthworms, ground beetles, bug, harmful turtle, aphids, insect larvae, ladybug, rider. The soil is inhabited by earthworms, beetles, bacteria and fungi that decompose and mineralize the straw and roots of wheat left after harvest.

Task 3. Assess the driving forces shaping natural and agroecosystems. Enter the following statements into the table:

acts on the ecosystem minimally,

does not affect the ecosystem,

the action is aimed at achieving maximum productivity.

does not affect the ecosystem

Artificial selection

acts on the ecosystem minimally

the action is aimed at achieving maximum productivity

Task 4. Rate some quantitative characteristics ecosystems. (more less)

The correct answer is in bold !!!

Control questions(testing):

1. The main source of energy for agroecosystems are
A) mineral fertilizers
B) the sun's rays
Q) organic fertilizers? D) soil water

2. Why a field sown with cultivated plants cannot be considered a natural ecosystem
A) there are no power circuits
B) there is no circulation of substances
C) in addition to solar, additional energy is used
D) plants are not arranged in tiers in space

3. What are the similarities between a sugar beet plantation and a meadow ecosystem
A) have an open circulation of substances
B) they are characterized by a small length of power circuits C) they do not have secondary consumers (predators)
D) have food chains and webs

4. Agrocenosis is considered an artificial ecosystem, since it
A) exists only due to the energy of sunlight
B) cannot exist without additional energy
C) consists of producers, consumers and reducers
D) does not include consumers and reducers

5. An important role in increasing the productivity of agroecosystems is played by
A) exceeding the seeding rate
B) the introduction of crop rotation in the fields
C) growing plants of the same species
D) an increase in the area of agrocenosis

6. Agrocenoses are characterized by
A) the dominance of monoculture
B) a decrease in the number of pests
C) the variety of organisms included in them
D) a decrease in the competitiveness of cultivated plants

7. When insects-pests are destroyed by pesticides, their mass reproduction is sometimes observed, since
A) the number of birds of prey is increasing
B) the growth of agricultural plants is accelerated
C) their natural enemies are destroyed
D) the number of cultivated plants decreases

8. Agroecosystem, in comparison with natural ecosystem, is less stable, since
A) it consists of a wide variety of species
B) it has a closed circulation of substances and energy
C) producers in it assimilate the energy of the Sun
D) it has short food chains

Output: It is necessary not only to create artificial ecosystems, but also to preserve natural ones. Careful protection of these ecosystems is required, because everything that nature has created is much better than artificial ecosystems. Driving forces in natural and agroecosystems are the main factors that support and help these ecosystems grow.

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Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation

Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education

"Russian State Vocational Pedagogical University"

Engineering Institute

Department of General Chemistry

Ecology

Test

Option 27

Completed: Student gr. ZAT-311S

Chudinov N.I.

Yekaterinburg 2014

Anthropogenic ecosystems: agroecosystems and urban systems. Their differences from natural ecosystems

Ecosystem is the basic concept of ecology. An ecosystem can be natural or anthropogenic.

Ecosystem types

Natural ecosystems

1. Driven by the Sun, unsubsidized

2. Driven by the Sun, subsidized by other natural sources;

Anthropogenic

1. Driven by the sun and subsidized by humans (agroecosystems)

2. Industrial-urban, driven by fuel (fossil, other organic and nuclear) (urban systems)

Natural ecosystems "work" to maintain their vital activity and their own development without any worries and costs on the part of man, moreover, a noticeable share of food products and other materials necessary for the life of the person himself. But the main thing is that it is here that large volumes of air are purified and returned to circulation. fresh water, the climate is being formed, etc.

Driven by the Sun are oceans, alpine forests, which are the basis of life support on planet Earth, occupy vast areas - oceans alone make up 70% of the world's territory. They are driven by the energy of only the Sun itself, and they are the basis that stabilizes and supports life-supporting conditions on the planet.

Driven by the Sun, subsidized ones include estuaries in tidal seas, river ecosystems, rain forests, i.e. those that are subsidized by the energy of tidal waves, currents and wind.

Ecosystems of the second type have high natural fertility. These systems "produce" so much primary biomass that it is enough not only for their own maintenance, but part of this

Anthropogenic ecosystems.

An agroecosystem is a certain area on land or in the sea, in which a person has organized the agricultural process in a special way. A condition for this site to receive the right to be called an Agro ecosystem must be rational land use, animal husbandry or the cultivation of certain crops in the sea. That is, agriculture should not be user-friendly and extensive, but as intensive as possible, with a deliberate process of returning the used force and energy of nature into the general circulation of organic and mineral substances on the planet.

Agroecosystems agroecosystems, aquaculture that produce food and fibrous materials, but not only due to the energy of the Sun, but also its subsidies in the form of fuel supplied by humans (for example, the ecosystem of the savannah, the ecosystem of Lake Baikal, or the ecosystem of the wasteland behind the house).

These systems are similar to natural ones, since the self-development of cultivated plants during the growing season is a natural process and is brought to life by natural solar energy. But the preparation of soils, sowing, harvesting, etc. are already human energy costs. Moreover, a person practically completely changes the natural ecosystem, which is expressed, first of all, in its simplification, i.e. a decrease in species diversity up to a highly simplified monocultural system.

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 dominated by populations of one plant and animal species. They are stable and characterized by the inconstancy of their biomass structure.
Productivity is determined by the adapted characteristics of the organisms involved in the circulation of substances.	Productivity is determined by the level economic activity and depends on economic and technical capabilities.
Primary products are used by animals and participate 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.

the main objective of the created agroecosystems - the rational use of those biological resources that are directly involved in the sphere of human activity - sources of food products, technological raw materials, medicines.

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

Urban system (urban system)

Urbanization is the growth and development of cities, an increase in the share of the urban population in the country at the expense of rural areas, the process of increasing the role of cities and the development of society. Population growth and population density is a characteristic feature of cities.

As you know, humans are not affected by the factors that depend on the population density, which suppress the reproduction of animals: the intensity of population growth is not automatically reduced by them. But an objectively high density leads to a deterioration in health, to the appearance of specific diseases associated, for example, with environmental pollution, makes the situation epidemiologically dangerous in the event of a voluntary or involuntary violation of sanitary standards.

The processes of urbanization are especially intensive in developing countries, as eloquently evidenced by the above indicators of the growth of the number of cities in the coming years.

Man himself creates these complex urban systems, pursuing a good goal - to improve living conditions, and not only simply "shielding" from the literary factors, but also creating for himself a new artificial environment that increases the comfort of life. However, this leads to the separation of man from the natural environment and disruption of natural ecosystems.

Urban system (urban system) - "an unstable natural-anthropogenic system, consisting of architectural and construction objects and sharply disturbed natural ecosystems."

Urbosystems are industrial-urban systems - fuel energy completely replaces solar energy. Compared to the flow of energy in natural ecosystems, here its consumption is two to three orders of magnitude higher.

The environment surrounding a person in these conditions is a combination of abiotic and social environments that jointly and directly affect people and their economy. At the same time, it can be divided into its own natural environment and the natural environment transformed by man (anthropogenic landscapes up to the artificial environment of people - buildings, asphalt roads, artificial lighting, etc., i.e. to the artificial environment).

In urban areas, in urban ecosystems, a group of systems can be distinguished, reflecting the complexity of the interaction of buildings and structures with the environment, which are called natural and technical systems. They are closely related to anthropogenic landscapes, with their geological structure and relief.

Thus, urban systems are the concentration of the population, residential and industrial buildings and structures. The existence of urban systems depends on the energy of fossil fuels and atomic energy raw materials, is artificially regulated and maintained by humans.

The environment of urban systems, both its geographical and geological parts, has been most strongly changed and, in fact, has become artificial, here there are problems of utilization of natural resources involved in circulation, pollution and cleaning environment, there is an increasing isolation of economic and production cycles from natural metabolism and energy flow in natural ecosystems. And, finally, it is here that the highest population density and built environment threaten not only human health, but also the survival of all mankind. Human health is an indicator of the quality of this environment.

Comparison of natural and anthropogenic ecosystems

Natural ecosystem (swamp, meadow, forest)	Anthropogenic ecosystem (field, plant, house)
Receives, transforms, stores 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 threatens fertile soils.
Accumulates, cleans and gradually consumes water.	It consumes a lot of water and pollutes it.
Creates habitats for various types of wildlife.	Destroys habitats of many species of wildlife.
Filters and disinfects pollutants and waste free of charge.	Produces pollutants and waste, which must be decontaminated at the expense of the population.
Has the ability to self-preserve and self-heal.	Requires high costs for constant maintenance and recovery.

Anthropogenic are created by man, most natural ecosystems are created by nature.

It takes much less time for a person to create a specific anthropogenic one than was needed for the formation of an elementary natural ecosystem to nature.

The boundaries of the anthropogenic are determined by man, the boundaries of the natural ecosystem are blurred.

The connections between anthropogenic elements are determined, organized and carried out by people. In most natural ecosystems, nature has successfully coped with this task for many millions of years.

Anthropogenic appeared thanks to man, while many natural ecosystems on Earth have disappeared or have been imbalanced due to man.

Today on Earth there are very few objects that can be called ideal natural, and there are a lot of objects that can be called hopelessly spoiled, "wounded" and "killed" ecosystems by people.

Climate change. The essence of the "greenhouse effect". Natural and anthropogenic sources of "greenhouse gases". Consequences of the "greenhouse effect" for the biosphere. Steps to address this issue

Climatic changes are fluctuations of the Earth's climate as a whole or of its individual regions over time, expressed in statistically significant deviations of weather parameters from long-term values for a period of time from decades to millions of years. Changes in both average values of weather parameters and changes in the frequency of extreme weather events are taken into account. The science of paleoclimatology is engaged in the study of climate change. Climate change is caused by dynamic processes on Earth, external influences such as fluctuations in the intensity of solar radiation, and, more recently, human activities. Changes in the modern climate (towards warming) are called. global warming.

Climate change factors

Climate change is caused by changes in the earth's atmosphere, processes occurring in other parts of the earth, such as oceans, glaciers, and the effects of human activities. External processes that shape the climate are changes in solar radiation and the Earth's orbit.

resizing, relief and mutual disposition continents and oceans,

change in the luminosity of the sun,

changes in the parameters of the Earth's orbit and axis,

changes in the transparency and composition of the atmosphere, including changes in the concentration of greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4),

change in the reflectivity of the Earth's surface (albedo),

changes in the amount of heat available in the depths of the ocean,

change in the natural sublayer of the Earth between the core and the earth's crust, due to the pumping of oil and gas

The essence of the "greenhouse effect".

The greenhouse effect usually means the heating of the atmosphere caused by the absorption of thermal radiation in its thickness. In this case, it is assumed that the atmosphere is transparent in the region of the visible part of the sunlight falling on the Earth, but its gas mixture absorbs the thermal reflected from the Earth's surface, i.e. infrared (IR) radiation. In the earth's atmosphere there is a dense layer of gases that filters the sun's rays, the rays reach the surface of the Earth, warm it up, and protective layer traps this heat above the surface, thereby contributing to its complete heating. If now the average global temperature of the atmosphere above the earth's surface is +15? C, then without this layer of gases it would be minus 18-20? C, which means that the entire planet would be covered with snow and ice.

The greenhouse effect is similar to glass in a greenhouse. The greenhouse effect is associated with an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air; it manifests itself in the heating of the inner layers of the Earth's atmosphere. This is because the atmosphere allows most of the sun's radiation to pass through. Some of the rays are absorbed and heats the earth's surface, and from it the atmosphere heats up. Another part of the rays is reflected from the surface of the planet and this radiation is absorbed by the molecules of carbon dioxide, which contributes to an increase in the average temperature of the planet.

The atmosphere containing CO2 is transparent to visible and ultraviolet sunlight, but blocks infrared radiation reflected from the earth's surface. As a result, with an increase in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, its average temperature, due to the absorption of the Earth's thermal radiation by this gas, should increase.

Burning natural non-renewable fuel (fuel oil, oil, coal), we increase the amount of gases in the atmosphere and thereby upset the existing balance.

Scientists believe that the main greenhouse compounds are carbon dioxide and methane. And the denser the layer of gases becomes, the more it retains solar energy and the higher the temperature on Earth becomes. Long-term observations show that as a result of economic activity, the gas composition and dustiness of the lower layers of the atmosphere change. The obvious reason for the greenhouse effect is the use of traditional energy sources by industry and motorists. Less obvious reasons include deforestation, recycling, and coal mining. Chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), sulfur and nitrogen oxides contribute significantly to the increase in the greenhouse effect.

There is a constant and growing increase in emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, primarily carbon dioxide. The sources of the latter are the combustion of coal and other carbon-containing fuels, oil, gas and derivatives, primarily gasoline, in the furnaces of thermal power plants, car engines, etc. Carbon dioxide emissions have increased particularly sharply in the world's major industrial centers: the United States, Western Europe, Russia. Emissions of other gases that enhance the greenhouse effect - methane, nitrogen oxides, halogen - hydrocarbons are growing at an even faster pace. According to some estimates, 15-20% of the greenhouse effect has been accounted for in recent years.

The hypothesis of the greenhouse effect is based on the idea of a high sensitivity of the Earth's thermal regime to changes in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, taking into account the tendency for the growth of mineral fuel consumption in the coming decades.

The main contribution to the greenhouse effect of the earth's atmosphere is made by water vapor or air humidity in the troposphere; the influence of other gases is much less significant due to their low concentration.

At the same time, the concentration of water vapor in the troposphere significantly depends on the near-surface temperature: an increase in the total concentration of "greenhouse" gases in the atmosphere should lead to an increase in humidity and the greenhouse effect, which in turn will lead to an increase in the near-surface temperature.

With a decrease in the near-surface temperature, the concentration of water vapor decreases, which leads to a decrease in the greenhouse effect, and, at the same time, with a decrease in temperature in the circumpolar regions, a snow-ice cover forms, leading to an increase in albedo and, together with a decrease in the greenhouse effect, causing a decrease in the average near-surface temperature.

Thus, the Earth's climate can change into warming and cooling stages, depending on changes in the albedo of the Earth - atmosphere system and the greenhouse effect.

Climatic cycles correlate with atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration: during the Middle and Late Pleistocene, prior to modern times, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration declined during long ice ages and rose sharply during brief interglacial periods.

During last decades there is an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it is believed that this increase is largely anthropogenic in nature.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the average annual global temperature was higher than usual for several years in a row. This has raised concerns that human-induced global warming has already begun. There is a consensus among scientists that the average annual global temperature has risen by 0.3 - 0.6 degrees Celsius over the past hundred years. There is a scientific consensus that human activity is the main factor that affects the current rise in temperature on Earth.

Natural and anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases.

Natural sources of carbon dioxide include volcanic eruptions, ocean and atmospheric exchange, and animal and plant respiration. This carbon is part of the natural cycle. When this cycle is in equilibrium, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air is approximately equal to the amount occupied by plants and the ocean.

Anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide include the burning of fossil fuels, industrial production and deforestation. The largest source of CO2 is electricity generation, followed by heavy industry, residential and commercial use, and transportation. Deforestation exacerbates the problem as carbon dioxide is absorbed by the trees.

Environmental consequences of the "greenhouse effect"

Global warming

As a result of the combustion of various fuels, about 20 billion tons of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere annually and the corresponding amount of oxygen is absorbed. The natural reserve of CO2 in the atmosphere is about 50,000 billion tons. This value fluctuates and depends, in particular, on volcanic activity. However, anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions exceed natural ones and currently account for a large share of its total... An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, accompanied by an increase in the amount of aerosol (small particles of dust, soot, suspensions of solutions of some chemical compounds), can lead to noticeable climate changes and, accordingly, to the disruption of the equilibrium bonds in the biosphere that have developed over millions of years.

The result of a violation of the transparency of the atmosphere, and, consequently, of the heat balance may be the appearance of the "greenhouse effect", that is, an increase in the average temperature of the atmosphere by several degrees. This can cause the melting of glaciers in the polar regions, an increase in the level of the World Ocean, changes in its salinity, temperature, global climate disturbances, flooding of coastal lowlands and many other adverse consequences.

Emissions of industrial gases into the atmosphere, including compounds such as carbon monoxide CO ( carbon monoxide), oxides of nitrogen, sulfur, ammonia and other pollutants, leads to the suppression of the vital activity of plants and animals, metabolic disorders, poisoning and death of living organisms.

"Greenhouse effect". According to the latest data from scientists, for the 2000s. the average air temperature in the northern hemisphere has increased compared to the end of the 20th century. by 0.5-0.6 "C. According to forecasts, by the beginning of 2060, the average temperature on the planet may increase by 1.2" C compared to the pre-industrial era. Scientists associate such an increase in temperature primarily with an increase in the content of carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) and aerosols in the atmosphere. This leads to excessive absorption of thermal radiation from the Earth by the air. Obviously, a certain role in the creation of the so-called "greenhouse effect" is played by the heat released from thermal power plants and nuclear power plants.

Climate warming can lead to intensive melting of glaciers and a rise in the level of the World Ocean. The changes that may result from this are simply difficult to predict.

The solution to this problem could be by reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere and balancing the carbon cycle. The generally accepted estimates of meteorologists show that an increase in the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will lead to an increase in temperature almost only in high latitudes, especially in the northern hemisphere, where "there was a giant glaciation quite recently." Moreover, this warming will mainly occur in winter. According to a specialist from the Institute of Agricultural Meteorology of Roskomhydromet, a doubling of the CO2 concentration will lead to a doubling of the economic useful area of Russia from 5 to 11 million km2. In terms of economic usable area, Russia now occupies a modest fifth place in the world after Brazil, the USA, Australia and China. The greatest effect of warming will have Russia, in which the western border runs approximately along the January isotherm of 0 ° C.

Domestic "greens" mechanically repeat about the danger of warming, not realizing that they live in a cold country. With the expected warming in most regions of Russia, the climate will become very favorable, close to subtropical. The non-black earth low-productive zone of central Russia will become fertile, the length of the agricultural year in it will triple, the Kuban will turn into a savannah, in Siberia frosts will stop and cotton will be grown there, and the northern sea route will be freed from ice and will become the most economical sea route between Europe and The Far East... It is important that warming due to higher temperatures will occur mainly in winter. Summer in Russia will remain practically the same relatively not hot. Moreover, this increase in temperature will occur in several years after an increase in the concentration of CO2, since there is no continental ice for a long time, and the time for heating the atmosphere does not exceed two months.In the climate of low latitudes, doubling of the concentration of CO2 will practically not affect, unless the north wind will be so cold there in winter , like now. Before the onset of the last ice age, the average temperature of the Earth was 5-6 ° C higher, and walnut forests grew in the Yakutsk region.

Effects

1. If the temperature on Earth continues to rise, it will have a major impact on the global climate.

2. More rainfall will occur in the tropics, as the additional heat will increase the water vapor content in the air.

3. In arid regions, rains will become even more rare and they will turn into deserts, as a result of which people and animals will have to leave them.

4. The temperature of the seas will also rise, which will lead to flooding of the low-lying areas of the coast and an increase in the number of severe storms.

5. Rising temperatures on Earth can cause sea levels to rise because:

a) water, heating up, becomes less dense and expands, expansion sea water will lead to an overall rise in sea level;

b) an increase in temperature can melt part of the perennial ice covering some land areas, for example, Antarctica or high mountain ranges.

The resulting water will eventually drain into the seas, raising their levels.

It should be noted, however, that melting ice floating in the seas will not cause sea levels to rise. The Arctic ice sheet is a huge layer floating ice... Like Antarctica, the Arctic is also surrounded by many icebergs.

Climatologists have calculated that if the Greenland and Antarctic glaciers melt, the level of the World Ocean will rise by 70-80 m.

6. Residential land will shrink.

7. The water-salt balance of the oceans will be disturbed.

8. The trajectories of movement of cyclones and anticyclones will change.

9. If the temperature on Earth rises, many animals will not be able to adapt to climate change. Many plants will die from lack of moisture and animals will have to move to other places in search of food and water. If an increase in temperature leads to the death of many plants, then many species of animals will die out after them.

In addition to the negative effects of global warming, several positive ones can be noted. At first glance, a warmer climate appears to be a blessing, as heating bills and an increase in the length of the growing season in mid and high latitudes may decrease.

Increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide can speed up photosynthesis.

However, potential yield gains could be wiped out by disease damage caused by insect pests, as higher temperatures will speed up their reproduction. Soils in some areas will be of little use for growing staple crops. Global Warming Would Likely Accelerate Decay organic matter in soils, which would lead to an additional release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere and accelerate the greenhouse effect.

Measures to address this problem.

There is a proposal to extract excess CO2 from the air, liquefy it and pump it into the deep-sea layers of the ocean, using its natural circulation. Another proposal is to disperse the smallest droplets of sulfuric acid in the stratosphere and thereby reduce the arrival of solar radiation on the earth's surface.

The enormous scale of anthropogenic reduction of the biosphere already now gives reason to believe that the solution of the CO2 problem should be carried out by "curing" the biosphere itself, i.e. restoration of soil and vegetation cover with maximum reserves of organic matter wherever possible.

At the same time, the search should be intensified, aimed at replacing fossil fuels with other energy sources, primarily ecological harmless ones that do not require oxygen consumption, to make wider use of water, wind energy, and for the future perspective - the energy of the reaction of matter and antimatter.

It is known that there is a silver lining, and it turned out that the current industrial recession in the country turned out to be beneficial - ecologically. The volume of production has decreased and, accordingly, the amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere of cities has decreased.

The solution to the problem of clean air is very real. The first is the fight against the reduction of the Earth's vegetation cover, the systematic increase in its composition of specially selected species that purify the air from harmful impurities. At the Institute of Plant Biochemistry, it has been experimentally proved that many plants are able to assimilate from the atmosphere such components harmful to humans as alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as carbonyl compounds, acids, alcohols, essential oils and others.

An important place in the fight against air pollution belongs to the irrigation of deserts and the organization of cultural farming here, the creation of powerful forest protection belts.

A huge amount of work remains to be done to reduce and completely stop the emission of smoke and other combustion products into the atmosphere. The search for technology for "tubeless" industrial enterprises working on a closed technological scheme - using all production wastes.

Reducing the use of fossil fuels in industry and replacing it with new types of energy (nuclear, solar, wind energy, tidal energy, geothermal sources);

Creation of less energy-intensive processes;

Creation of waste-free production facilities and production lines with a closed cycle (it is now shown that in some processes waste is 80-90% of the feedstock).

Therefore, a program was developed that should lead to the achievement of a number of main goals. First, the entire planet will move to tough energy-saving standards, such as those currently in force in the United States only in California.

The world industry will switch to modern energy-saving technologies; in particular, it will be possible to double the efficiency of fossil-fueled power plants through more complete use of residual heat. A million large wind power generators will be put into operation. 800 powerful coal-fired power plants will be built, the emissions of which will be completely cleaned of carbon dioxide. 700 nuclear power plants will be built, and none of the existing ones will be closed. The world fleet of cars and light trucks will completely switch to cars that travel at least 25 km per liter of gasoline. Over time, all cars will receive hybrid engines, which will allow them to run only electric motors powered by batteries on short routes. To supply them with electricity, another 0.5 million wind turbines will be built. Sown areas for agricultural crops that can serve as raw materials for the production of biofuel from vegetable cellulose will be dramatically expanded. States in the tropics, with the help of the international community, will completely stop deforestation and double the current rate of planting of young trees.

Already, in many highly developed industrial countries, strict environmental laws are in force: requirements for cleaning emissions have been established, new technologies are being developed to prevent atmospheric pollution, standards for exhaust gas emissions from cars have been tightened, etc. In some states (USA, Canada) a central body for environmental management has been created. Its purpose is to develop national environmental standards to improve the environmental situation and monitor their implementation. The specificity of Japanese culture (the cult of home, human, health) allows solving all problems not at the level government agencies, but at the level of the city, district, which gives good results. In general, it must be said that emissions control in Europe is not as strict as in the United States.

Russia's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in 2004 emphasized that the importance of solving global environmental problems, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is understood and supported at the state level; however, Russia remains one of the countries with the lowest energy efficiency in the economy.

Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol (KP) is the first international agreement containing quantitative obligations of member countries to limit and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In November 2004, Russia ratified the KP, which is designed for 5 years from 2008 to 2012 inclusive.

Kyoto Protocol mechanisms:

The purpose of the KP mechanisms is to ensure the reduction of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions through the introduction of new energy and resource saving technologies on the basis of international cooperation.

The KP provides for three main mechanisms for the assignment of quotas for greenhouse gas emissions between countries:

1. Trading in quotas

2. Joint Implementation Projects (JI). Unlike a direct sale, a selling country can transfer to a buying country only emission reduction units (ERUs) generated as a result of investments in emission reduction projects carried out on its territory together with the buying party.

3. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). In the case of the CDM, the country that sells the allowances is the countries that do not have emission limitation obligations.

The problem of historical and modern climate change turned out to be very complex and cannot be solved in the schemes of one-factor determinism. Along with an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide, an important role is played by changes in the ozonosphere associated with the evolution of the geomagnetic field. Developing and testing new hypotheses is necessary condition knowledge of the regularities of the general circulation of the atmosphere and other geophysical processes affecting the biosphere.

That is, with the joint impact of several negative factors, the likelihood of all consequences increases, the nature and degree of their influence changes.

It is possible that warming is partially natural, but the greatest contribution was still made by humans over a long period of time. The rise in the level of the World Ocean occurs at a rate of 0.6 mm per year, or 6 cm per century. At the same time, climate warming will be accompanied by an increase in evaporation from the surface of the oceans and a humidification of the climate, as can be judged from paleogeographic data.

Protection of the lithosphere. Measures to protect soil from degradation

agroecosystem greenhouse gas soil degradation

The lithosphere is the stone shell of the Earth, including the earth's crust with a thickness (thickness) of 6 (under the oceans) to 80 km (mountain systems). The upper part of the lithosphere is currently undergoing an ever increasing anthropogenic impact. The main significant components of the lithosphere: soils, rocks and their massifs, bowels.

Causes of disruption of the upper layers of the earth's crust

mining;

burial of household and industrial waste;

conducting military exercises and tests;

fertilization;

the use of pesticides.

In the process of transforming the lithosphere, man extracted 125 billion tons of coal, 32 billion tons of oil, more than 100 billion tons of other minerals. More than 1,500 million hectares of land have been plowed up, 20 million hectares have been swamped and salinized. At the same time, only 1/3 of the entire extracted rock mass is involved in circulation, and is used in production ~ 7% of the production volume. Most of the waste is not used and accumulates in dumps.

Lithosphere protection methods

The following main directions can be distinguished:

1.Protection of soils.

2. Protection and rational use of subsoil: the most complete extraction of basic and associated minerals from the subsoil; complex use of mineral raw materials, including the problem of waste disposal.

3. Reclamation of disturbed areas.

Reclamation is a complex of works carried out with the aim of restoring disturbed territories (during open development of mineral deposits, in the process of construction, etc.) and bringing land plots into a safe state.

Distinguish between technical, biological and construction reclamation.

Technical reclamation is a preliminary preparation of disturbed areas. Surface leveling, removal of the top layer, transportation and application of fertile soils to reclaimed lands are being carried out. The recesses are filled up, the dumps are disassembled, the surface is leveled.

Biological reclamation is carried out to create a vegetation cover in the prepared areas.

Construction reclamation - if necessary, buildings, structures and other objects are erected.

4. Protection of rock massifs:

Flooding protection - flow management groundwater, drainage, waterproofing;

Protection of landslide massifs and mudflow hazardous massifs - regulation of surface runoff, organization of storm collectors. Building construction is prohibited, dumping household waters cutting down trees.

5. Disposal of solid waste

Disposal is the processing of waste for the purpose of using useful properties waste or their components. In this case, the waste acts as a secondary raw material.

According to the state of aggregation, waste is divided into solid and liquid; by the source of education - industrial, generated in the production process (metal scrap, shavings, plastics, ash, etc.), biological, generated in agriculture (bird droppings, animal and crop waste, etc.), household (in particular , precipitation of municipal wastewater), radioactive. In addition, waste is divided into combustible and non-combustible, compressible and non-compressible.

When collecting waste, it should be separated according to the criteria indicated above, and depending on its further use, the method of processing, disposal, disposal.

After collection, the waste is recycled, disposed of and buried. Recycled waste that can be useful. Waste recycling is the most important stage in ensuring the safety of life, contributing to the protection of the environment from pollution and conserving natural resources.

Recycling of materials solves a whole range of environmental issues. For example, the use of waste paper makes it possible to save 4.5 m3 of wood, 200 m3 of water in the production of 1 ton of paper and cardboard, and halve the cost of electricity. To make the same amount of paper, 15-16 mature trees are required. A great economic benefit is provided by the use of non-ferrous metal waste. To obtain 1 ton of copper from ore, it is necessary to extract from the bowels and process 700-800 tons of ore-bearing rocks.

Waste plastics naturally decompose slowly, or not at all. When they are burned, the atmosphere is polluted with toxic substances. Most effective ways to prevent pollution of the environment with plastic waste is their secondary processing (recycling) and the development of biodegradable polymeric materials. At present, only a small part of the 80 million tons of plastics produced annually is recycled in the world. Meanwhile, from 1 ton of polyethylene waste, 860 kg of new products are obtained. 1 ton of used polymers saves 5 tons of oil.

Wastes that are not subject to processing and further use as secondary resources are disposed of at landfills. Landfills should be located away from water protection zones and have sanitary protection zones. In places of storage, waterproofing is performed to exclude contamination of groundwater.

For the processing of solid household waste, biotechnological methods are widely used: aerobic composting, anaerobic composting or anaerobic fermentation, vermicomposting.

Measures to protect soil from degradation:

* protection of soil from water and wind erosion;

* organization of crop rotations and soil cultivation systems in order to increase their fertility;

* reclamation measures (combating waterlogging, soil salinization, etc.);

* recultivation of disturbed soil cover;

* protection of soil from pollution, and beneficial flora and fauna from destruction;

* prevention of unjustified withdrawal of land from agricultural use.

Soil protection should be carried out on the basis of an integrated approach to agricultural land as complex natural formations (ecosystems) with the obligatory consideration of regional characteristics.

To combat soil erosion, a set of measures is required:

land management (the distribution of land according to the degree of their resistance to erosion processes), agrotechnical (soil-protective crop rotations, a contour system for growing crops, in which runoff is delayed, chemical means of control, etc.), forest reclamation (field-protective and water-regulating forest belts, forest plantations on ravines, gullies, etc.) and hydrotechnical (cascade ponds, etc.).

At the same time, it is taken into account that hydraulic engineering measures stop the development of erosion by a certain area immediately after their installation, agrotechnical - in a few years, and forest reclamation - in 10-20 years after their introduction.

For soils subject to severe erosion, a whole range of anti-erosion measures is required:

1) strip farming, that is, such an organization of the territory in which the rectilinear contours of the fields alternate with field-protective forest belts;

2) soil-protective crop rotations (to protect the soil from deflation);

3) afforestation of ravines;

4) manless soil cultivation systems (use of cultivators, flat cutters, etc.);

5) various hydrotechnical measures (arrangement of canals, shafts, ditches, terraces, construction of watercourses, flumes, etc.) and other measures.

To combat waterlogging of soils in areas of sufficient or excessive moisture as a result of disruption of natural water regime apply various drainage reclamation.

Depending on the reasons for waterlogging, this can be a lowering of the groundwater level using closed drainage, open canals or water intake structures, the construction of dams, the straightening of the river bed to protect it from flooding, the interception and discharge of atmospheric slope waters, etc.

However, excessive dehumidification large areas can cause undesirable changes in ecosystems - overdrying of soils, their dehumification and decalcification, as well as cause shallowing of small rivers, drying out of forests, etc.

To prevent secondary soil salinization, it is necessary to arrange drainage, regulate the water supply, use sprinkler irrigation, use drip and root irrigation, carry out waterproofing of irrigation canals, etc.

Unfortunately, all these methods and technical innovations to prevent secondary soil salinization are used only in a small part of the irrigated areas. The reasons are the same everywhere:

1) high cost and labor intensity of reclamation works; for example, drainage and waterproofing of canals almost double the cost of building irrigation systems;

2) the hope that “the adverse effects of irrigation will affect sometime in the future, when there are more funds. But the result was always and everywhere the same: a catastrophically rapid rise in groundwater, secondary salinization, a drop in yields, loss of investment, and ultimately spoiled land. " It is in this way that many zones of increased environmental risk are formed both in our country and abroad.

To prevent soil pollution with pesticides and other harmful substances, ecological methods of plant protection (biological, agrotechnical, etc.) are used, they increase the natural ability of soils to self-purify, do not use especially dangerous and persistent insecticidal preparations, etc.

Due to the increase in the scale of anthropogenic impact (human economic activity), especially in the last century, the balance in the biosphere is disturbed, which can lead to irreversible processes and raise the question of the possibility of life on the planet. This is due to the development of industry, energy, transport, agriculture and other human activities without taking into account the capabilities of the Earth's biosphere. Already now, humanity is faced with serious environmental problems that require immediate solutions.

The consequences of human intervention in all spheres of nature can no longer be ignored. Without a decisive turn, the future of humanity is unpredictable.

As a result, there is a sharp deterioration in the state of ecological systems, often even the death of unique natural complexes, the reduction and disappearance of populations of certain species of plants and animals, the danger of irreversible changes in the structures of geographic spheres, which can lead to unpredictable negative consequences for humans and society as a whole. Humanity has come to the point beyond which the contours of a fairly close ecological drama are clearly visible.

The time of spontaneous, reckless use of natural resources has already passed. Nature management should be carried out only on a scientific basis, taking into account all those complex processes that occur in the environment both without and with the participation of humans. It cannot be otherwise, since the influence of man and his activity on nature is becoming stronger and stronger. Environmental protection and rational use of natural resources are among the most urgent environmental protection areas. In solving these problems, the role of training environmental personnel, environmental education and education of the country's population is important.

Bibliography

1. Voronkov N.A. Ecology general, social, applied [Text]: textbook for universities. M .: Agar, 2008.432 p.

2. Korobkin V.I. Ecology [Text]: textbook for universities / V.I. Korobkin, L.V. Peredelsky. Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 2010. 608 p.

3. Nikolaykin N.I. Ecology [Text]: textbook for universities / N.I. Nikolaykin, N.Ye. Nikolaykina, O. P. Melekhova. M .: Bustard, 2009.624 p.

4. Prokhorov BB Social ecology[Text]: textbook for universities. M .: Publishing Center "Academy", 2010. 416 p.

5. Prokhorov BB Human ecology [Text]: textbook for universities. M .: Publishing Center "Academy", 2010.320 p.

6. Krivoshein D.A. Ecology and life safety [Text]: textbook for universities / D.А. Krivoshein, L.A. Ant, N.N. Roeva and others; Ed. L.A. Ant. M .: UNITI-DANA, 2000.447 p.

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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 of organic and inorganic substances
A complete, closed 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 self-healing ability.

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 placement of organisms depends on the depth of the water.
3. Biotic and abiotic substances... 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, using 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 opposite process: organic matter is 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 outlines of the relief: for example, a swamp, a lake, mountains, rivers. But in the aggregate, all the ecosystems that make up the biological envelope of our planet are considered open, since they interact with the environment and space. In the most general view, the picture looks like this: living organisms receive energy from the environment, space and terrestrial substances, and at the exit - sedimentary rocks and gases, which eventually go into space.

All components of a natural ecosystem are closely interconnected. The principles of this connection take years, sometimes centuries. But that is precisely why they become so stable, since these connections and climatic conditions determine the species of animals and plants that live in a given area. Any imbalance in a natural ecosystem can lead to its disappearance or attenuation. Such violation can be, for example, deforestation, extermination of the population of one or another 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 begins to breed animals in the selected ecosystem that were not there initially. A striking confirmation of this is the breeding of rabbits in Australia. At first it was beneficial, since in such a fertile environment and excellent climatic conditions for breeding, rabbits began to reproduce at an incredible speed. But in the end it all came down to collapse. Countless hordes of rabbits devastated pastures where sheep once grazed. The number of sheep began to decline. And a person gets much more food from one sheep than from 10 rabbits. This incident even went into the proverb: "The rabbits ate Australia." It took an incredible effort of scientists and a lot of money before it was possible to get rid of the livestock of rabbits. It was not possible to completely exterminate their population in Australia, but their number declined and no longer threatened the ecosystem.

Artificial ecosystems

Artificial ecosystems are called communities of animals and plants that live in the conditions that humans have created for them. They are also called noobiogeocenoses or socioecosystems. Examples: field, pasture, city, community, spaceship, zoo, garden, artificial pond, reservoir.

The simplest example of an artificial ecosystem is the aquarium. Here, the habitat is limited by the walls of the aquarium, the flow of energy, light and nutrients is carried out by a person, 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, that is, consuming prepared food. Take, for example, a city, one of the world's 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.

Another one distinctive feature artificial ecosystems - an open metabolic cycle. Take agroecosystems, for example, which are the most important to humans. These include fields, orchards, vegetable gardens, pastures, farms and other agricultural land on which a person creates conditions for removing consumer products. A person takes out part of the food chain in such ecosystems (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 (less often 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 the best harvest. But at the same time, the destruction of organisms "disadvantageous" 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 socioecosystems in the form of a table:

Natural ecosystems	Artificial ecosystems
The main component is solar energy.	Mainly derived from fuel and prepared 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 resistance, ability to self-regulation and self-healing	Weak resilience, since such an ecosystem depends on human activities
Closed metabolism	Open circuit of metabolism
Creates habitats for wild animals and plants	Destroys wildlife habitats
Accumulates water, using it wisely and purifying it	High consumption water pollution

generally

Natural ecosystem

Natural ecosystem structure

Agroecosystem

Types of agroecosystems

Types of agroecosystems

Variety of signs

Comparative and agroecosystems

How are agroecosystems different from natural ecosystems?

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