Today, environmental education is becoming increasingly important. In terms of the ecocide of the planet by man, everyone should have at least a general idea of some environmental concepts. In literature and periodicals about nature, the concept of a biotope is often found. What is a biotope? How is it different from biocenosis? Let's try to clarify all this in this article.
What is a biotope and biocenosis?
A biotope (from the Greek words βίος - life and τόπος - place) is a part of a geospace homogeneous in features, on which a certain combination of living organisms lives (biocenosis). Thus, this is a site with certain abiotic (non-living) characteristics, limited to the totality of all life on it.
Components
The meaning of the term biotope implies certain characteristics that are composed of some components, namely:
- The climatic factor is climatop.
- Soil components - edafotop.
- Geological factors - lithotope.
- Water factors - hydrotope.
What is a biotope is understandable if we say that this is not a living part of a biogeocenosis, which consists of a biotope and a biocenosis. All factors are in constant interaction with living organisms of the biocenosis and have a mutual influence on each other.
Consolidation of biotopes
The union of several biotopes is called biochores, which in turn can be collected in vital areas (biocycles). Examples are land and water, as part of the planet’s biosphere.
Biotope border
What is a biotope boundary? This is easy to explain with an example. Birch grove (first biotope), a site that has clear boundaries with the meadow (second). Borders are usually set according to the species composition of plants (phytocenosis), since it is plants that usually have a distinct specificity inherent in a particular area.
Interconnection within the biotope
All living and nonliving things in biogeocenosis are closely intertwined with each other by a multitude of diverse connections. Inside the biocenosis, they can be as follows:
- Trophic - some organisms or elements of animate and inanimate nature serve as food for others (frog - stork, bacteria - foliage).
- Topical - one organism influences another or uses it in its life activity (trees - bird nests).
- Forichesky - one organism promotes the resettlement or distribution of another (rowan seeds - birds).
- Fabric - the use of parts of another as building materials by one organism (beavers - a dam from trees).
These bonds can be explicit (direct) or indirect, stable, and also periodic. They have the ability to interrupt and recover. But they are always there.
The development of ecological culture of the population is a worldwide trend. Understanding the fragility of the world around us and understanding our place in it is an important part of the sustainable development of our civilization. Each of us cannot stop producing cars with an internal combustion engine, but anyone can remove garbage after a picnic in nature, not kill a harmless snake and not bring a hedgehog home, condemning him to death. Everyone’s small contribution, and nature will please our descendants with a sparkle of dew on the grass and a multi-colored rainbow after the rain.