15 Examples of Natural and Artificial Ecosystems

The ecosystems They are systems of living beings in a given space.

They consist of:

Every ecosystem is highly complex because it includes a network of relationships between various species of organisms as well as those organisms with the abiotic factors, such as light, wind or inert components of the soil.

Natural and artificial

Types of natural ecosystems

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS

Those where the biocenosis It develops in the ground or subsoil. The characteristics of these ecosystems depend on humidity, temperature, altitude (height with respect to sea level) and latitude (proximity to the Equator).

HYBRID ECOSYSTEMS

They are those that, being floodable, can be considered terrestrial or aquatic.

Examples of natural ecosystems

1. Stream (aquatic, sweet, lotic). A stream of water that flows continuously but with a lower flow than a river, so it can disappear in dry stations. They are not usually navigable, with the exception of those that have a low slope and a considerable flow. But in any case, only very small boats, such as canoes or rafts, can be used. Streams have areas called fords that are so shallow that they can be crossed on foot. Small fish can live in them,
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   crustaceans and a multitude of insects Y amphibians. The plants are mainly freshwater algae.
2. Dry forest (terrestrial, forest). it is also called xerophilous, hiemisilva or dry forest. It is a wooded ecosystem of medium density. The rainy seasons are shorter than the dry seasons, so less dependent species develop of the availability of water, such as deciduous trees (they lose their leaves and therefore do not lose as much moisture). They are usually found between rainforests and deserts or sheets. Its temperatures are warm throughout the year. In these forests live monkeys, deer, felines, a variety of birds and rodents.
3. Sandy desert (desert land). The soil is mainly sand, which forms dunes by the action of the wind. Specific examples are:

1. Stony desert (desert land). Its soil is made of rock and stones. It is also called Hamada. There is sand but it does not form dunes, due to its small quantity. An example is the Draa desert, in southern Morocco.
2. Polar desert (desert land). The ground is ice. Rain is very scarce and the water is salty, so the animals (like polar bears) must get the liquids needed from the very animals they eat. The temperatures are below zero degrees. This type of desert is called indlandsis.
3. Sea bottom (aphotic marine). It is located in an area called "hadal", which is below the abyssal zone, that is, it is the deepest in the ocean: more than 6,000 meters deep. Due to the total absence of light and high pressures, the available nutrients are very scarce. These ecosystems have not been sufficiently explored, so they only exist hypothesis not verified on its inhabitants. It is considered that they survive thanks to marine snow, which is organic matter that falls in the form of particles from the most superficial layers of the ocean to the bottom.

1. Marsh (hybrid). It is formed in a depression in the land bordering the sea. Usually this depression It is formed by the passage of a river, which is why fresh and salt water mix in the area. It is a wetland, that is, an area of ​​land that is frequently or permanently flooded. The soil is naturally fertilized with silt, clay and sand. The only plants that can grow in this ecosystem are those that can withstand concentrations of salt in the water close to 10%. On the other hand, the fauna is very varied, from microscopic organisms like benthos, nekton and plankton up mollusks, crustaceans, fish and rabbits.
2. Continental platform (photic marine). The biotope of this ecosystem is the neritic zone, that is, the maritime zone that is near the coast but does not have direct contact with it. It is considered from 10 meters deep to 200 meters. The temperature remains stable in this ecosystem. Due to its great abundance of animals, it is the preferred area for fishing. The flora is also abundant and varied because the sunlight arrives with sufficient intensity to allow photosynthesis.
3. Tropical meadow (terrestrial, grassland). The dominant vegetation are grasses, reeds and grasses. In each of these meadows there are more than 200 species of grasses. However, the most common is that only two or three species are dominant. Among the fauna are herbivores you see.
4. Siberian tundra (terrestrial tundra). It is located on the northern coast of Russia, in Western Siberia, on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Due to the scarce sunlight that reaches this latitude, a tundra ecosystem developed, bordering on a fir and spruce forest.

Examples of artificial ecosystems

1. Reservoir. When you build a hydropower plant An artificial lake (reservoir) is usually created by closing a river bed and thus making it overflow. The pre-existing ecosystems are profoundly modified since with the terrestrial ecosystems they become aquatic ecosystems as they are permanently flooded and part of the river's lotic ecosystem becomes lentic ecosystem.
2. Farmlands. Its biotope is fertile land. This is an ecosystem that has been created by man for 9,000 years. There are a variety of ecosystems, not only depending on the Type of crop but also the way of cultivation: whether or not fertilizers are used, if agrochemicals are used, etc. The so-called organic gardens are fields of crops that do not use artificial chemicals but rather control the presence of insects through substances obtained from the plants themselves. On the other hand, in fields of industrial crops, all the organisms present are under severe control, through chemicals that prevent the growth of many organisms, with the exception of what is cultivated.
3. Open pit mines. When a deposit of a valuable material is discovered in a certain territory, it can be exploited through the opencast mining. While this form of mining is cheaper than others, it also impacts much more deeply on the ecosystem, creating one of its own. Vegetation on the surface is removed, as well as the upper layers of the rock. Plants do not survive in these mines, but insects and a multitude of microorganisms can exist. Due to the constant change made in the soil of the mines, no other animals settle.
4. Greenhouse. They are a particular form of growing ecosystem in which temperatures and humidity are high, taking advantage of the concentration of solar energy in a delimited space. This ecosystem, unlike farmland, is not affected by wind, rain or changes in weather. temperature, since all these factors (air movement, humidity, temperature) are controlled by the man.
5. Gardens. They are ecosystems similar to grasslands, but with a significantly lower variety of flora and fauna, since that flora is selected by man and fauna usually includes only insects, small rodents and birds
6. Streams. They can be created artificially from a natural source (a river or a lake) or artificial (pumped water). A channel is dug with the desired shape and ensuring a slope in the right direction. The channel can be covered with stones or pebbles to ensure that erosion from the passage of water will not change the designed shape. The ecosystem of these artificial streams begins with the microorganisms that the water brings with it, depositing algae on the bottom and sides of the river and attracting insects. If the source is natural, it will also contain the animals (fish and crustaceans) that lived in the ecosystem of origin.
7. Urban environment. Towns and cities constitute ecosystems that did not exist prior to human action. These ecosystems are the ones that have changed the most in recent centuries, significantly modifying the species that live in them, as well as the abiotic factors who interact with them. The only factor that has remained unchanged is the high concentration of human beings, although this has been increasing. The soils of both towns and cities are made of artificial materials (with a reduced amount of "green spaces" with natural soils). This ecosystem extends above the ground into the air space but also underground, forming houses, reservoirs, drainage systems, etc. Pests due to population density are common in this ecosystem.

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