Agroecosystems and their diversity differ from natural ecosystems. Agroecosystems, their features

Lecture No. 5. Artificial ecosystems

5.1 Natural and artificial ecosystems

In the biosphere, in addition to natural biogeocenoses and ecosystems, there are communities artificially created by human economic activity - anthropogenic ecosystems.

Natural ecosystems are characterized by significant species diversity, there are long time, they are capable of self-regulation, have great stability and resilience. The biomass and nutrients created in them remain and are used within the biocenoses, enriching their resources.

Artificial ecosystems - agrocenoses (fields of wheat, potatoes, vegetable gardens, farms with adjacent pastures, fish ponds, etc.) make up a small part of the land surface, but provide about 90% of food energy.

Development agriculture Since ancient times, it has been accompanied by the complete destruction of vegetation cover over large areas in order to make room for a small number of species selected by humans that are most suitable for nutrition.

However, initially human activity in agricultural society fit into the biochemical cycle and did not change the flow of energy in the biosphere. In modern agricultural production, the use of synthesized energy during mechanical cultivation of the land, the use of fertilizers and pesticides has sharply increased. This disrupts the overall energy balance of the biosphere, which can lead to unpredictable consequences.

Comparison of natural and simplified anthropogenic ecosystems

(after Miller, 1993)

5.2 Artificial ecosystems

5.2.1 Agroecosystems

Agroecosystem(from the Greek agros - field) - a biotic community created and regularly maintained by humans in order to obtain agricultural products. Usually includes a set of organisms living on agricultural lands.

Agroecosystems include fields, orchards, vegetable gardens, vineyards, large livestock complexes with adjacent artificial pastures.

A characteristic feature of agroecosystems is low ecological reliability, but high productivity of one (several) species or varieties of cultivated plants or animals. Their main difference from natural ecosystems- simplified structure and lean species composition.

Agroecosystems are different from natural ecosystems a number of features:

1. The diversity of living organisms in them is sharply reduced to obtain the highest possible production.

On a rye or wheat field, in addition to the cereal monoculture, you can find only a few types of weeds. On a natural meadow biological diversity significantly higher, but biological productivity is many times lower than that of the sown field.

Artificial pest control - mostly necessary condition maintaining agroecosystems. Therefore, in agricultural practice, powerful means of suppressing the number of undesirable species are used: pesticides, herbicides, etc. Environmental consequences These actions lead, however, to a number of undesirable effects other than those for which they are used.

2. Species of agricultural plants and animals in agroecosystems are obtained as a result of artificial rather than natural selection, and cannot withstand the struggle for existence with wild species without human support.

As a result, there is a sharp narrowing of the genetic base of agricultural crops, which are extremely sensitive to the massive proliferation of pests and diseases.

3. Agroecosystems are more open; matter and energy are removed from them with crops, livestock products, and also as a result of soil destruction.

In natural biocenoses, the primary production of plants is consumed in numerous food chains and again returns to the biological cycle system in the form carbon dioxide, water and mineral nutrition elements.

Due to the constant harvesting and disruption of soil formation processes, with long-term cultivation of monoculture on cultivated lands, soil fertility gradually decreases. This situation in ecology is called law of diminishing returns .

Thus, for prudent and rational farming it is necessary to take into account the depletion of soil resources and maintain soil fertility with the help of improved agricultural technology, rational crop rotation and other techniques.

Changes in vegetation cover in agroecosystems do not occur naturally, but by the will of man, which does not always reflect well on the quality of those included in it abiotic factors. This is especially true for soil fertility.

Main difference agroecosystems from natural ecosystems - getting extra energy for normal functioning.

Additional energy refers to any type of energy introduced into agroecosystems. This may be the muscular strength of humans or animals, various types fuel for operating agricultural machinery, fertilizers, pesticides, pesticides, additional lighting, etc. The concept of “additional energy” also includes new breeds of domestic animals and varieties cultivated plants, introduced into the structure of agroecosystems.

It should be noted that agroecosystems are highly fragile communities. They are not capable of self-healing and self-regulation, and are subject to the threat of death from mass reproduction of pests or diseases.

The reason for the instability is that agrocenoses are composed of one (monoculture) or, less often, a maximum of 2–3 species. That is why any disease, any pest can destroy an agrocenosis. However, people deliberately simplify the structure of the agrocenosis in order to obtain maximum production yield. Agrocenoses in much to a greater extent than natural cenoses (forest, meadow, pastures), they are susceptible to erosion, leaching, salinization and pest invasion. Without human participation, agrocenoses of grain and vegetable crops exist for no more than a year, berry plants - 3-4, fruit crops - 20-30 years. They then disintegrate or die.

The advantage of agrocenoses Natural ecosystems are faced with the production of food necessary for humans and great opportunities for increasing productivity. However, they are implemented only with constant care for the fertility of the land, providing plants with moisture, and protecting cultivated populations, varieties and breeds of plants and animals from the adverse effects of natural flora and fauna.

All agroecosystems of fields, gardens, pasture meadows, vegetable gardens, and greenhouses artificially created in agricultural practice are systems specifically supported by humans.

In relation to the communities that develop in agroecosystems, the emphasis is gradually changing in connection with the general development of environmental knowledge. In place of ideas about the fragmentary nature of coenotic connections and the extreme simplification of agrocenoses, there emerges an understanding of their complex systemic organization, where humans significantly influence only individual links, and the entire system continues to develop according to natural laws.

From an ecological point of view, it is extremely dangerous to simplify the natural environment of humans, turning the entire landscape into an agricultural one. The main strategy for creating a highly productive and sustainable landscape should be to preserve and enhance its diversity.

Along with maintaining highly productive fields, special care should be taken to preserve protected areas that are not subject to anthropogenic impact. Reserves with rich species diversity are a source of species for communities recovering in succession.

Comparative characteristics of natural ecosystems and agroecosystems

5.2.2.Industrial-urban ecosystems

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

In connection with the above, it should be noted that artificial ecosystems cannot exist without natural systems, while natural ecosystems can exist without anthropogenic...

Urban systems

Urban system (urbosystem)- “an unstable natural-anthropogenic system consisting of architectural and construction objects and sharply disturbed natural ecosystems” (Reimers, 1990).

As the city develops, its functional zones become more and more differentiated - these are industrial, residential, forest park.

Industrial zones- these are areas where industrial facilities are concentrated various industries(metallurgical, chemical, mechanical engineering, electronics, etc.). They are the main sources of pollution environment.

Residential zones- these are areas where residential buildings, administrative buildings, cultural and educational facilities, etc. are concentrated.

Forest Park - This is a green area around the city, cultivated by man, that is, adapted for mass recreation, sports, and entertainment. Its sections are also possible inside cities, but usually here city ​​parks- tree plantations in the city, occupying quite large areas and also serving citizens for recreation. Unlike natural forests and even forest parks, city parks and similar smaller plantings in the city (squares, boulevards) are not self-sustaining and self-regulating systems.

Forest park zones, city parks and other areas of territory allocated and specially adapted for people’s recreation are called recreational zones (territories, sections, etc.).

The deepening of urbanization processes leads to the complication of the city's infrastructure. Beginning to occupy a significant place transport And transport facilities(roads, gas stations, garages, service stations, railways with their complex infrastructure, including underground ones - metro; airfields with a service complex, etc.). Transport systems cross everything functional areas cities and influence the entire urban environment (urban environment).

Wednesday, surrounding a person under these conditions, is a combination of abiotic and social environments, jointly and directly influencing people and their economy. At the same time, according to N.F. Reimers (1990), it can be divided into natural environment And transformed by man natural environment (anthropogenic landscapes up to the artificial environment of people - buildings, asphalt roads, artificial lighting, etc., i.e. artificial environment).

In general, the urban environment and urban-type settlements is part technosphere, that is, the biosphere, radically transformed by man into technical and man-made objects.

In addition to the terrestrial part of the landscape, its lithogenic basis, i.e., the surface part of the lithosphere, which is usually called the geological environment, also falls into the orbit of human economic activity (E.M. Sergeev, 1979).

Geological environment- This rocks, groundwater, which are influenced economic activity person (Fig. 10.2).

In urban areas, in urban ecosystems, one can distinguish a group of systems that reflect the complexity of the interaction of buildings and structures with the environment, which are called natural-technical systems(Trofimov, Epishin, 1985) (Fig. 10.2). They are closely connected with anthropogenic landscapes, with their geological structure and relief.

Thus, urban systems are the concentration of population, residential and industrial buildings and structures. The existence of urban systems depends on the energy of fossil fuels and nuclear energy raw materials, and 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 problems of utilization and reutilization of natural resources involved in circulation, pollution and environmental cleanup arise, here there is an increasing isolation of economic and production cycles from natural metabolism (biogeochemical turnover) and energy flow in natural ecosystems. And finally, it is here that the population density and the built environment are highest, which threaten not only human health, but also for the survival of all humanity. Human health is an indicator of the quality of this environment.

Agroecosystem (agricultural ecosystem, agrocenosis, agrobiocenosis) is a biotic community created and regularly maintained by humans for the purpose of obtaining agricultural products. Includes a set of organisms living on agricultural lands. Character. Feature: Small environmentally friendly. reliability, but high yield of one or several types of plants (fields, orchards, vegetable gardens, large livestock complexes with adjacent pastures, etc.)

Agroecos. They have a certain composition of organisms and are defined. relationships between organisms and their environment. They contain the same food chains as in natural ecosystems. But unlike natural In ecosystems, humans are an essential link in the food chain. Agroecos. represent art. systems and differ from natures. 1st difference: the diversity of living organisms in them is sharply reduced in order to obtain the highest possible production (in a wheat field, in addition to the cereal monoculture, you can find several types of low-abundance weeds). On natural meadow biological diversity is higher, but biological. productivity is many times lower than that of the sown field. 2nd difference: types of agricultural plants and animals are obtained as a result of the arts. selection, which affects the narrowing of their genetic base.

3rd difference: consists in obtaining additional energy for normal functioning. Additional energy - any type of energy (muscular strength of humans or animals, various types of fuel, pesticides, pesticides, additional lighting, etc.). 4th difference: agrocenoses are characterized by greater openness, matter and energy are removed from them with the harvest, livestock breeder production, as a result of soil destruction, the shift grows. cover occurs according to the will of man. All this is not capable of self-regulation, self-healing, and is subject to the threat of death from the mass reproduction of pests and diseases. To maintain them it is necessary permanent activity people.

An urban ecosystem is an artificially created and human-maintained environment. This includes cities, towns and areas of land urbanized by people. The urban ecosystem also includes the impact of urban population growth and building infrastructure support on the environment surrounding the city and the areas adjacent to the city. These include suburbs surrounding cities, as well as agricultural activities and natural landscapes. Viewing urbanized areas as part of a broader ecological system, scientists can study the functions of urban landscapes and their influence on other landscapes with which they interact. Knowing this can lead to better environmental outcomes.

End of work -

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1. Establish a correspondence between the characteristics of ecosystems and their type: 1-natural ecosystem, 2-agroecosystem
A) plants of one species predominate
B) there is a wide variety of species
C) self-regulation of population numbers is carried out
D) the cycle of substances is not closed
D) the anthropogenic factor plays a major role
E) food chains are long

Answer

A2 B1 C1 D2 D2 E1

2. In the agroecosystem potato field, in contrast to the meadow ecosystem
A) there are no consumers
B) high numbers producers of one species
B) open cycle of substances
D) herbivorous insects predominate
D) there are no decomposers
E) self-regulation is impaired

Answer

3. What are the similarities between natural and artificial ecosystems?
A) not large number species
B) presence of power circuits
B) closed cycle of substances
D) use of solar energy
D) use of additional energy sources
E) presence of producers, consumers, decomposers

Answer

4. In a natural ecosystem, as opposed to an artificial one
A) long chains nutrition
B) short power circuits
B) a small number of species

Answer

5. In a natural ecosystem
A) diverse species composition
B) little self-regulation
C) population sizes do not change
D) closed cycle of substances
D) branched food chains
E) predators predominate among consumers

Answer

6. In a natural ecosystem, as opposed to an artificial one
A) long power chains
B) producers are removed from the cycle
B) a small number of species
D) self-regulation is carried out
D) closed cycle of substances
E) are used additional sources energy along with solar

Answer

7. In the ecosystem of a broad-leaved forest - an oak grove -
A) short food chains
B) sustainability is ensured by the diversity of plants and animals
B) high biological productivity
D) the species composition of plants and animals is limited
D) the soil is rich in humus
E) there are no decomposers in the soil

In the biosphere, in addition to natural biogeocenoses (forest, meadow, swamp, river, etc.) and ecosystems, there are also communities created by human economic activity. Such a human-made community is called an agroecosystem (agrocenosis, agrobiocenosis, agricultural ecosystem).

Agroecosystem (from the Greek agros - field - agricultural ecosystem, agrocenosis, agrobiocenosis) - a biotic community created and regularly maintained by humans for the purpose of producing agricultural products. Usually includes a set of organisms living on agricultural lands.

Agroecosystems include fields, orchards, vegetable gardens, vineyards, large livestock complexes with adjacent artificial pastures. Feature agroecosystems - low ecological reliability, but high productivity of one or several species (or varieties of cultivated plants) or animals.

Agroecosystems differ from natural ecosystems in a number of features.

Agroecosystems have several differences from natural ecosystems.

1. Species diversity in them is sharply reduced to obtain the highest possible production. On a rye or wheat field, in addition to the cereal monoculture, you can find only a few types of weeds. In a natural meadow, biological diversity is much higher, but biological productivity is many times lower than in a sown field.

2. Species of agricultural plants and animals in agroecosystems are obtained as a result of the action of artificial, and not natural selection, which significantly affects the narrowing of their genetic base. In agroecosystems, there is a sharp narrowing of the genetic base of agricultural crops, which are extremely sensitive to mass reproduction of pests and diseases.

3. Agroecosystems, compared to natural biocenoses, are characterized by greater openness. This means that in natural biocenoses the primary production of plants is consumed in numerous food chains and is returned to the system. biological cycle in the form of carbon dioxide, water and mineral nutrients. Agroecosystems are more open, and matter and energy are removed from them with crops, livestock products, and also as a result of soil destruction.

4. The change of vegetation cover in agroecosystems does not occur naturally, but by the will of man, which does not always have a good effect on the quality of the abiotic factors included in it. This is especially true for soil fertility.

Soil is the most important life support system and the existence of agricultural production. However, the productivity of agroecosystems depends not only on soil fertility and maintaining its quality. It is no less influenced by the preservation of the habitat of beneficial insects (pollinators) and other representatives of the animal world. In addition, many natural enemies of agricultural pests live in this environment. Thus, the example of the mass death of pollinators in buckwheat fields in the United States, which occurred when they collided with cars in places where agricultural land was close to highways, has already become a textbook example.

5. One of the main features of ecosystems is to obtain additional energy for normal functioning. Without the supply of additional energy from outside, agroecosystems, unlike natural ecosystems, cannot exist. Additional energy refers to any type of energy introduced into agroecosystems. This could be the muscular strength of humans or animals, various types of fuel for operating agricultural machines, fertilizers, pesticides, pesticides, additional lighting, etc. Additional energy can also be understood as new breeds of domestic animals and varieties of cultivated plants introduced into the structure of agroecosystems.

6. All agroecosystems of fields, gardens, pasture meadows, vegetable gardens, and greenhouses artificially created in agricultural practice are systems specifically maintained by humans.

It should be noted that agroecosystems are extremely unstable communities. They don't Capable of self-healing and self-regulation, they are subject to the threat of death from mass reproduction of pests or diseases. To maintain them, constant human activity is required.

What signs of a community or ecosystem are considered sustainable? First of all, it is a complex, polydominant structure, including the largest possible number of species and populations under given conditions. Then, maximum biomass. And the last thing is the relative balance between energy intake and expenditure. What is certain is that such ecosystems exhibit the lowest level of productivity. Biomass is large and productivity is low. This is due to the fact that the main part entering the ecosystem energy goes to maintain life processes.

The most important thing negative consequence existence of agroecosystems is their destabilizing impact on biogeochemical cycles biosphere, where reproduction of the main species takes place environmental resources and regulation takes place chemical composition living environments. On agricultural lands, the nutrient cycle is open by tens of percent. Therefore, there is every reason to say that agrocenoses from the very beginning of their existence have been in an antagonistic relationship with the natural environment. It has now become obvious that they threaten to destroy fundamental biosphere processes and are responsible for global ecological crisis. This applies to all forms created by man, including the most productive varieties and breeds.

What has been said is apparently enough to demonstrate the fundamental inability of agrocenoses to take on the functions of natural ecosystems. It should only be added that at present humanity has not yet come up with any other way to supply itself with food than by creating artificial agroecosystems.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the meaning of the ecosystem concept?

2. What size can ecosystems be?

4. What features are inherent in natural ecosystems?

5. Define a food chain.

6. What types ecological pyramids You know?

7. What is biogeocenosis:

8. Give examples of biogeocenoses.

9. What is common and what is the difference between biogeocenosis and ecosystem?

10. What functionally related parts can be distinguished in a biogeocenosis?

11. How are the boundaries of biogeocenosis determined?

12. What determines the dynamics of ecosystems?

13. Characterize the daily and seasonal dynamics of ecosystems.

14. What is succession? Give examples of successions.

15. How does primary succession differ from secondary succession?

16. What is anthropogenic succession?

17. Define an agroecosystem, give examples of agroecosystems.

18. What are the significant differences between natural ecosystems and agroecosystems?

Agroecosystems and their differences from natural ecosystems
Man, in the competitive struggle for survival and to satisfy his ever-increasing needs, is forced to change natural ecosystems and even destroy them, perhaps without wanting to.
For the purpose rational use biological resources Humanity is creating agricultural ecosystems, or agroecosystems, designed to produce high yields - pure products of autotrophs. The main differences between agroecosystems and natural ecosystems are:
a decrease in the diversity of species in them, since the species diversity of plants and animals bred by humans is negligible compared to nature;
species of plants and animals cultivated by humans “evolve” due to artificial selection and are uncompetitive in the fight against wild species without human support;
agroecosystems receive additional (except solar) energy subsidized by humans;
pure products (harvest) are removed from the ecosystem and do not enter the biocenosis chain;
agroecosystems are simplified systems, unstable and incapable of self-regulation.
In agroecosystems, excessive growth in the form of an “ecological explosion” occurs much more often. individual species. For example, in the 19th century. An “explosion” of the late blight fungus population destroyed potatoes in France and caused famine, and the Colorado potato beetle spread from America to European Russia. To prevent such phenomena from occurring, it is necessary to artificially regulate the number of pests with the rapid suppression of those that are just trying to get out of control. Simplification of the natural environment of man from an ecological point of view is very dangerous. Therefore, it is impossible to turn the entire landscape into an agricultural one; it is necessary to preserve and increase its diversity, leaving untouched protected areas that could be a source of species for the restoration of communities.
Man also creates complex urban systems, pursuing a good goal - to improve living conditions, and not only by simply “protecting himself” from limiting factors; but also by creating for himself a new artificial environment that increases the comfort of life. However, this leads to a separation of man from the natural environment and to the disruption of natural ecosystems.
Urban settlements are an unstable natural-anthropogenic system consisting of architectural and construction objects and severely disturbed natural ecosystems. As cities develop, functional zones become more and more differentiated - industrial, residential, forest park. Industrial zones- these are areas where industrial facilities of various industries are concentrated, which are the main sources of environmental pollution. Residential zones are areas where residential buildings, administrative buildings, cultural and educational objects are concentrated, etc. A forest park zone is a green zone around and inside the city, cultivated by man, that is, adapted for mass recreation, sports, and entertainment. Forest park zones, city parks and other areas of territory allocated and specially adapted for people’s recreation are called recreational areas.
The environment surrounding a person in urban conditions is a combination of abiotic and social factors, jointly and directly influencing people and their economy. It is divided into the natural environment itself, the natural environment transformed by man, and the artificial environment. In general urban environment- this is part of the technosphere, that is, the biosphere, radically transformed by man into technical and man-made objects.
In addition to the ground part of the landscape, the surface part of the lithosphere, which is commonly called the geological environment, also falls into the orbit of human economic activity. The geological environment is rocks and groundwater, which are influenced by human economic activities. The geographical and geological environments of urban systems have been most strongly changed and have essentially become artificial. Here there is an increasing isolation of economic and production cycles from natural metabolism (biogeochemical