There are different Types of ecosystems . These are classified based on the origin, the type of habitat or the spatial delimitation.
An ecosystem is formed by a set of living beings that inhabit it. It is a functional biological unit that contains all living things in a given area.
This set is called biocenosis, and the corresponding physical environment is called biotope. The ecosystem also understands the relationships that exist between biocenosis and biotope.
The ecosystem is the highest level of organization that living beings have. On planet Earth there is a wide variety of environments, in which various ecosystems are developed. What conditions life in them are the biotic or abiotic factors, also known as physical-chemical.
The biotic factors are related to the relationships that occur between the different living beings that inhabit the same ecosystem, whereas the abiotic factors comprise the characteristics of the physical environment that can affect the living beings of an ecosystem.
These can be climatic like the humidity, the temperature or the precipitations; Physical as pressure or light; Or chemicals such as salinity or soil composition.
It is for this reason that not all ecosystems are suitable for all species. In other words, the different factors that influence an environment is what makes each of the ecosystems that exist can only survive certain species.
You may also want to see the 9 components of a more outstanding ecosystem .
What are the different types of ecosystems?
1- According to its origin
natural
Natural ecosystems are those that have not undergone any intervention by man. This type of ecosystem, like all, can be classified as open and closed. In the first case, these are ecosystems that exchange both matter and energy with the outside. In the second case, these are ecosystems that do not.
Every ecosystem requires by obligation the exchange of energy with the outside. Therefore, in the case of closed ecosystems, it is not a matter of not doing so, but rather that this exchange is very small.
A clear example of closed ecosystem is seen in the pyrosphere, which is nothing more than the ecosystem formed by all living beings on Earth plus the inert matter with which they relate.
Within the natural ecosystems is also another type that includes those that have been modified by the man. As time has passed and men have settled in the different spaces of the planet, these have been changing the natural ecosystems to adapt them to their culture and their needs.
In this type of ecosystem there are not only biotic and abiotic factors, but also a human component. In this case, the population is responsible for changing the environment where they live, carrying out different works to meet their needs.
Artificial
Artificial ecosystems are those created by man, such as a dam, a city or a fish tank. The influence of human activities on natural ecosystems has been such that they have been radically transformed.
When speaking of this type of ecosystems we speak of completely humanized spaces, since they do not even fall into the category of modified natural ecosystems.
This type of ecosystem includes cities, but also industrial zones and their interconnections. Even Modern farms Are considered artificial ecosystems. It also includes the creation of lakes, forests, caves, etc. It is possible to classify artificial ecosystems into three distinct types.
Agricultural Ecosystems
They are those ecosystems that have been modified to prepare a space for crops. These are usually ecosystems that have replaced natural forests and are used for the cultivation of all types of plants.
Urban ecosystems
These are ecosystems that were natural, but that after the intervention of man have changed radically to be fit for human habitat.
An urban ecosystem is a space that is used to build and urbanize houses and buildings. In this environment nature has been replaced by cement.
Fish Ecosystems
These are man-made ecosystems for artificial fish farming. They are usually used for trade, that is, for the export and import of food in large quantities.
2- According to the type of habitat
Earth Ecosystems
They are those where living beings such as people, animals, plants, etc., live and develop both on the ground and in the air.
These places provide living organisms with everything they need to survive. In this type of ecosystem vegetation predominates. On the other hand, the water sources are limited and are not uniform. This means that living things must obtain water and preserve it for survival.
On the other hand, temperature and humidity are the two abiotic factors that condition the life of living beings in terrestrial ecosystems. It is precisely these factors that are responsible for determining both the climate and the distribution of organisms.
These factors are also those that affect Climate differences That exist on the planet. These are the ones that also cause the diversity of terrestrial ecosystems.
The planet is divided into several climatic zones. These zones are called terrestrial biomes and there are nine main ones that are the temperate forest, the tundra, the steppe, the taiga, the jungle, the desert and the savannah.
Temperate forest
This biome extends throughout the planet in medium latitudes. In this type of forest there are many living beings because their temperatures are balanced and they usually have abundant rainfall. Trees such as oak, oak and beech are the main vegetables you have.
Tundra
This is a biome that develops in the most northern areas of the planet. It also has very low temperatures. So much so that for most of the year its soil is frozen. It is for this reason that there are no trees, but only a shallow vegetation grows.
Steppe
It is typical of temperate zones. It is not possible to grow trees because of the scarcity of rain. It is formed by large extensions of herbaceous plants.
Taiga
It is the largest biome on Earth. It belongs to Cold climates And of the zones that have temperate and humid summers. In this environment grow trees, especially those of the group of conifers, pines and firs.
Jungle
The jungle Is characteristic of warm and very humid climates. It is a very favorable environment for the development of life. That is why it is the biome that has a greater quantity and diversity of living beings. Here the main vegetables are large trees.
Desert
It occurs in areas where there is practically no rainfall and where temperatures are very high all year round. Because of these climatic conditions, it is an ecosystem where only a few plant species can survive. The Desert plants Have adapted to the lack of water. Among them are cacti and even some species of animals.
bed sheet
It is a biome that is found in warm regions that have a dry season and a humid one. In this environment the predominant vegetables are grasses. The most characteristic animals of the savanna are large herbivores such as antelopes and zebras.
Aquatic ecosystems
Aquatic ecosystems are those where living things develop in areas of the planet that are covered by water, such as oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, etc.
This type of ecosystem is characterized by constant and moderate temperatures, a concentration of nutrients, a great absorption of light and being close to soil sediments.
Their varieties are classified according to the salinity of the water. Based on this, two types have been identified: marine ecosystems, comprising seas and oceans and freshwater or freshwater ecosystems, which are rivers, lakes, lagoons, wetlands, among others.
In these ecosystems the present organisms are classified into three groups according to their form of displacement: plankton, necton and benthos.
Marine ecosystems
They are formed in seas and oceans and cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface. Sea water is characterized by its high content of salts in solution. There are at least 35 grams of salts per liter of water.
All the organisms that live in this ecosystem are adapted to this salinity. Compared with terrestrial or freshwater ecosystems, the marine environment is the most stable.
The oceans and seas are divided into two zones: the coastal zone and the oceanic zone. The first is a shallow water zone that runs from the coastline to the boundary of the continental shelf and the second is a large region that rises from the continental shelf onwards.
The latter is divided into two sections: a photic zone, which has light, and the afótica, which has no light. Three types of major marine ecosystems can be distinguished: mangroves, grasslands and reefs.
Inland water ecosystems
These are the freshwater ecosystems: rivers, lakes, swamps, etc. They differ from marine ecosystems because of the low salt content. In this case, the salinity is less than 1 gram of salt per liter of water.
This type of ecosystem is made up of two environments: the lentic and the lotic. Each one of them has special characteristics that have allowed the adaptation and the development of diverse species of animals and plants.
The lentic environments are those that are formed by still waters like lakes or wetlands. You can distinguish three zones: one of shallow water, warm and where the sunlight reaches the bottom; One of deep water, cold and where the light of the sun does not arrive; And an area of intermediate water that is defined by the depth limit reached by sunlight.
The lotic environments are those that comprise moving waters such as rivers, streams and glens. In this case, much of the water is in contact with the atmosphere thanks to the movement of this. For this reason the temperature of the surface water and the bottom water does not vary too much.
3- According to the spatial delimitation
Microecosystems
A micro-system is an ecosystem that occupies a very small space. These occur in very small areas depending on the presence of species and the environmental conditions they have.
It is possible to construct a microecosystem in a laboratory culture, for example, as well as in a small puddle, in a fish tank and even in a trunk in putrefaction state.
Mesoecosystems
Mesoecosystems are those that have an average size. They are present in intermediate areas between large ecosystems and the local scale.
In addition, it is the type of ecosystem that, generally, has an interaction with the man. An example of these can be the forests, the forest or the lagoons.
Macroecosystems
Macroecosystems are the great ecosystems of the planet. Therefore, they are those that comprise great extensions of earth or water.
These in turn are capable of harboring other microecosystems and mesoecosystems. Macroecosystems are the equatorial forests of America, Asia and Africa, and the oceans, among others.
References
- Tamargo, J. (2011). Types of ecosystems. Ecosystems. Retrieved from ecosystems-ecosistemas.blogspot.com.
- Gómez, L. (2002). Small encyclopedia of the environment: Santiago de Cuba. Editorial Oriente. Recovered from ecured.cu.
- University for all. Course"The sea and its resources". Tabloid Special Supplement. (2003). Recovered from ecured.cu.
- National University of San Luis. Unit II. Ecosystems. (2015). Retrieved from server-enjpp.unsl.edu.ar.
- Topics in Ecology. Sustainable freshwater ecosystems. (2003). Published by the Ecological Society of America. Retrieved from esa.org.