Natural ecosystem: what it is, characteristics and examples

Natural ecosystems are all those biological systems that have their own networks of interactions between living beings and nature . They are highly complex systems that have millions of years of evolution, in which the laws of survival and adaptation set the rhythms of their own natural balance.

The constant flows of energy and matter that occur within natural ecosystems have been observed by human beings since the first civilizations, with the aim of deciphering their components and imitating their relationships with the elements of nature.

In the next sections we will delve into the main characteristics of natural ecosystems, as well as the different types of ecosystems that exist to learn how to differentiate them.

For the correct functioning and optimal balance of natural ecosystems, a whole network of components of different kinds interact with each other. In the following list we will see in detail what are these main components and characteristics of the planet’s natural ecosystems :

• You are made up of biotic (living beings) and abiotic (soil, rocks, climatic factors) components.
• In them there are intra-specific relationships or between individuals of the same species, interspecific relationships or between individuals of different species and biological communities, as well as relationships between said communities of organisms and the environment in which they live, also called biotope .
• There are constant flows of matter and energy within natural ecosystems, which allow an ecological succession of the communities of organisms that compose them to take place.
• Natural ecosystems maintain optimal balances between living beings and the environment that constitute them. Learn more about this aspect with this other AgroCorrn article about the Ecosystem in equilibrium: what it is and how it is maintained .

Based on these common characteristics, it is possible to differentiate the existence of different types of natural ecosystems according to their climatic characteristics, as well as the biological communities that constitute them. In the next section we will detail which are these types of ecosystems that we can find in different parts of the planet.

Now that we know the definition of a natural ecosystem and its characteristics, let’s look at some examples of the most amazing natural ecosystems that exist throughout the Earth:

• Amazon rainforest .
• Atacama Desert .
• Great Australian Barrier Reef.
• Colombian mountain moorlands.
• Coastal mangroves of Brazil.
• Taiga or Canadian coniferous forest.
• Alpine meadow.
• Estepas from Mongolia.
• Indlandsis of Antarctica.
• Marismas de Doñana.

Through a general classification we can distinguish ecosystems into two main types: natural ecosystems and anthropic ecosystems, artificial or non-natural , that is, those that have been created and designed by human beings. Within both main types of ecosystems there are different subgroups, which are detailed below in the following complete list of ecosystem types :

Natural ecosystems

• Terrestrial ecosystems: deserts, tropical grasslands (steppes, grasslands, and grasslands), savannas, jungles, tundras, and temperate forests. We recommend these other articles on What is a terrestrial ecosystem and its characteristics and the Types of terrestrial ecosystems and examples .
• Aquatic ecosystems: lakes, rivers, springs and streams, oceans, seas, reefs, shallow littoral waters, estuaries, and coastal saltwater lagoons. If you want to expand your knowledge of these types of ecosystems, we recommend reading these posts on What is an aquatic ecosystem , Freshwater aquatic ecosystems: examples and What are saltwater aquatic ecosystems .
• Air ecosystem: any area that combines land and air or sea and air. Here we explain more about the Air Ecosystem: what it is, characteristics and types .
• Mixed ecosystems: they are those that combine water and land, such as wetlands, mangroves, marshes and coasts. Find out more about them in this other post about What is a mixed ecosystem .

Artificial ecosystems

• Agricultural or agricultural ecosystems.
• Dam or reservoir ecosystems.
• Urban and rural ecosystems.

Expand this information with this other AgroCorrn article on the Types of ecosystems .

Natural ecosystems have filled the planet with life for millions of years. However, during the evolution of human beings, these natural ecosystems have been modified and altered , sometimes constituting new totally artificial ecosystems.

These artificial or anthropic ecosystems are made up of modified landscapes and interspecific relationships in which human beings are the most abundant species. We can thus affirm that they are humanized ecosystems, in which the flows of matter and energy, as well as the relationships and the global balance of the ecosystem are determined according to the needs and characteristics of people’s lives; in contrast to the rhythms that natural ecosystems follow, in which each and every one of the groups of organisms interact in unison to favor the natural balance of the system.

Here we explain more about what is an artificial ecosystem and several examples of this type of ecosystem altered by people until it is no longer natural.

If you want to read more articles similar to Natural Ecosystem: what it is, characteristics and examples , we recommend that you enter our Ecosystems category .