The concept of ecosystem is usually applied to naturalobjects of varying complexity and size: taiga or a small forest, the ocean or a small pond. They operate complexly balanced natural processes. There are also biological systems created artificially. An example is the aquarium ecosystem, the necessary balance in which is maintained by man.
Types of ecosystems and their features
Экосистемой называют совокупность живых organisms of various species in a certain part of the biosphere, which are connected not only among themselves, but also with the components of the inanimate nature, the circulation of substances and the transformation of energy. It can be natural and artificial.
Natural ecosystems (forests, steppes, savannas,lakes, seas and others) are self-regulating structure. Artificial ecosystems (agrocenosis, aquariums, and others) are created and maintained by man.
Ecosystem structure
In ecology, the ecosystem is the mainfunctional unit. It includes the inanimate environment and organisms as components, mutually affecting the properties of each other. Its structure, regardless of the species, be it a natural water body ecosystem or an aquarium ecosystem, includes the following components:
- Spatial - placement of organisms in a specific biological system.
- Species - the number of living species and the ratio of their numbers.
- Community components: abiotic (inanimate nature) and biotic (organisms - consumers, producers and destroyers).
- The cycle of matter and energy is an important condition for the existence of an ecosystem.
- Resilience of an ecosystem, depending on the number of species found in it and the length of the food chains formed.
Consider an example of one of the biological systems -aquarium. Its artificial ecosystem includes all structural units. In the aquarium of a certain size (spatial distribution) lives a living component of the system (fish, plants, microorganisms). Its components are also water, soil, snags. The aquarium is a closed ecosystem, therefore for its inhabitants artificial conditions are created that are close to natural ones. What is the lighting used for, since nothing living can fully develop and live without light; thermoregulation - to maintain a constant temperature level; aeration and filtration - to supply oxygen to the water and its constant purification.
Ecosystem differences
На первый взгляд может показаться, что экосистема Aquarium is not much different from the natural reservoir. After all, the aquarium itself is a kind of small copy of a closed reservoir intended for the maintenance and breeding of fish and plants. Life in it proceeds through similar biological processes. Only an aquarium is a small artificial ecosystem. In it, the degree of impact of abiotic components (temperature, light, water hardness, pH, etc.) on biotic components is balanced by man. He also supports in the aquarium all the necessary activity, the duration of which largely depends on the experience of the aquarist, his ability to manage the equilibrium of the environment. However, even with proper care, it periodically falls into decay, and man has to patiently arrange it anew in a room pond. Why is this happening?
Causative factors
The aquarium's ecosystem depends on its age.water environment. She goes through the stages of formation, youth, maturity and degradation. Ecosystem imbalances are maintained by few plants, and fish cease to reproduce.
A significant role is played by the size of the aquarium.The life span of the environment directly depends on its volume. It is like an ecosystem in nature. It is known that the greater the volume of a reservoir, the greater its resistance to disturbances of the necessary equilibrium. In an aquarium up to 200 liters, it is not difficult to form a habitat close to the natural one, but it is much more difficult to disturb the balance in it with its inept actions.
Aquariums small capacity up to 30-40 litersrequire regular water changes. Within reasonable limits, its shift to 1 / 3-1 / 5 can shake the equilibrium stability, but the environment is restored after a couple of days on its own, but if you replace all the water, you can easily break the balance.
The aquarist should know that, having formed an ecosystem, it is necessary to maintain equilibrium in it with minimal intervention.
Ecological system model
Aquarium - a small artificial ecosystem,the structure of which differs little from the natural one. The components of the ecosystem are biotope and biocenosis. In an aquarium, inorganic nature (biotope) is water, soil, and their properties. It also includes the volume of space of the aquatic environment, its mobility, temperature, illumination and other parameters. The necessary habitat properties are created and maintained by man. He feeds the inhabitants of the aquarium, cares about the purity of the soil and water. Thus, it creates only an ecosystem model. In nature, it is closed and independent.
Abiotic factors
The natural totality is distinguished by much moredeep relationships and interdependencies. In the home water they are regulated by man. Conditionally and in the home pond, all living organisms are called aquarium biocenosis. They occupy certain ecological niches in it, creating a harmony of habitat. Favorable conditions for livelihoods create for them, taking into account abiotic factors - appropriate temperature, light and movement of water.
Температурный режим зависит от обитателей aquarium. Since even insignificant drops in it can lead to the death of some fish species, it is recommended to use heaters with a built-in thermostat.
Lighting mode is required for normalfunctioning of all components of the aquarium environment. Light sources are usually located above the surface of the water. The length of the day should correspond to the photoperiod of the inhabitants in their natural conditions of life.
In nature, standing water is more mobile due toeffects of rain, wind and other disturbances. In an aquarium, constant circulation of water is necessary. It is achieved by aeration or running water through the filter.
Continuous circulation ensures vertical rotation of the water in the aquarium. It also levels the acidity index, prevents a rapid decrease in the redox potential in the bottom layers.
Organic and inorganic compounds
Water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, amino acids,Nitrogen and phosphoric salts, humic acids - the main organic and inorganic compounds, which also belong to the abiotic elements. Most of them are enclosed in the aquarium's organisms and in bottom sediments.
The transfer rate of these nutrients inwater solution is provided as a result of the functioning of the producers and decomposers of the ecosystem. Organic nitrogen-containing excreta utilize bacteria, turning them into simpler substances necessary for plant absorption. Organic compounds pass into the mineral (inorganic) form also due to different types of bacteria.
These most important processes depend on the temperature regime of water, its acidity index, and oxygen saturation. They regulate the normal functioning of the ecosystem.
Creating a closed aquarium ecosystem is importantBe aware that it is ready to receive its inhabitants, but it is not completely balanced, since many important types of bacteria stabilize within two weeks.
Resilience of the ecosystem and the cycle of substances in the aquarium
The inhabitants of the aquarium can not provide completecirculation of substances. It reveals a break in the chain between consumers and producers. This is facilitated by a closed aquarium ecosystem. Shrimps, mollusks, crustaceans (consumers) eat plants (producers), but no one eats the consumers themselves. The chain is broken. At the same time, another fish feeding chain, bloodworms and other food, is artificially maintained by man.
In natural ecosystems, each species is balanced.ratio with other species. Each of them occupies its own niche, determines the interdependence of species. The proportions of predators and their preys in the development of the ecosystem are strictly balanced. This balancing is not achieved in such a closed space as an aquarium. An artificial ecosystem requires a competent selection of its inhabitants. Ecological niches of fish, plants must be mated, but not superimposed on one another. They are selected so that their vital needs and the so-called “professions” (consumers, manufacturers and destroyers) are not to the detriment of others.
A balanced selection of inhabitants according to their “professional” purpose in the model of an aquarium ecosystem is the most important condition for its long-term health.
"Address" of the inhabitants of the aquarium
Habitat in the reservoir of each species also hasconsiderable value. All of them must find a suitable shelter. You can not saturate the aquarium, so as not to lead to the degradation of other species. So, floating plants, growing, block the light of the algae growing below, the lack of shelters at the bottom and habitats for bottom fish species lead to skirmishes and to the death of weaker individuals.
In order to preserve the stability of the ecosystem in an aquarium, it is necessary during any attempts to intervene to think whether it is harmful to the equilibrium.
