Do you know what combines a wheat field, a potato bed and a fruit tree garden? All these are agrocenoses. In our article we will get acquainted with the main characteristics of this concept.
Community organisms
Under natural conditions, various types of living creatures do not live separately. As a result, various communities are formed. One of them is biocenosis. Its structure includes populations of various species living on a site with uniform conditions. The basis of such a community is phytocenosis.
But living organisms are connected not only among themselves. Environmental conditions also have a definite effect on them. Therefore, ecologists call another structure - biogeocenosis. This is a territory with approximately the same conditions in which populations of various species are interconnected with each other and the physical environment through the circulation of substances and energy.
Agrocenosis is also a community of organisms, but it is significantly different from everyone else. What is the difference? Let's figure it out.
Biogeocenosis and agrocenosis
Agrocenosis is a community of organisms created by man. It may include plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms. The purpose of its creation is to obtain agricultural products. But most often, an agrocenosis is called an artificial plant community. This field, garden, garden or garden.
Biogeocenosis is a natural, self-developing structure.
The characteristics of agrocenosis also include the almost complete absence of self-regulation. All processes in this community are controlled by a person. When its activity ceases, agrocenosis ceases to exist.
Biogeocenosis for its development uses only solar energy. There are additional reserves in the agrocenosis. This is the energy that a person brings in during irrigation, plowing land, the use of fertilizers, special feeds, chemicals to control weeds and rodents.
Signs of agrocenosis
Agrocenoses are characterized by low species diversity. Since these communities are created with the aim of obtaining certain agricultural products, they include one or two representatives of the organic world. As a result, the number of other species inhabiting this territory is reduced.
Agrocenosis is a weakly stable structure. Its development occurs only under the influence of a person in artificially recreated conditions. Therefore, the ability to withstand fluctuations in the intensity of environmental factors without drastic changes in the structure and functions of agrocenosis is practically impossible.
Trophic connections
Any natural community is characterized by the presence of food chains. Agrocenosis is no exception. Its trophic networks are very weakly branched. This is due to depleted species diversity.
In biogeocenosis there is a continuous cycle of matter and energy. For example, plant products are consumed by other organisms, and then returned to the natural system in an altered form. It can be water, carbon dioxide or mineral elements.
In the chains of agrocenosis this does not happen. Getting a crop, a person simply takes it out of circulation. The trophic ties are broken. To compensate for such losses, it is necessary to systematically fertilize.
Development conditions
To increase the productivity and productivity of agrocenoses, people use artificial selection. During this process, a person selects individuals with the most useful qualities that can give a viable and prolific offspring. This type of selection is faster and more effective than natural.
On the other hand, this leads to an inability to self-regulation and self-renewal. If a person stops his activity, agrocenosis is destroyed. This will not happen immediately. So, perennial herbaceous cultural plants will last about 4 years, and trees - several dozen.
To maintain the development of agrocenoses, a person must constantly prevent succession processes. This term means the destruction or replacement of some natural communities by others. For example, if weeds are not removed, they will first become the dominant species. Over time, they will completely replace the culture. The fact is that weeds have a number of devices that help to successfully survive adverse conditions. This is the presence of modified underground shoots - rhizomes, bulbs, a large number of seeds, a variety of distribution methods and vegetative propagation.
The value of agrocenoses
Thanks to agrocenoses, a person receives agricultural products, which he uses as food and the basis for the food industry. The advantage of artificial communities is their manageability and unlimited ability to increase productivity. But human activity leads to negative consequences. Land plowing, deforestation and other manifestations of irrational nature management lead to an imbalance. Therefore, when creating agrocenoses, it is necessary to take into account the links between wild and cultivated species.
So, agrocenosis is an artificial biogeocenosis. A person creates it to obtain various types of products. To do this, he selects productive plant varieties, animal breeds, species of fungi or strains of microorganisms. The main characteristics of agrocenosis include: poorly branched trophic chains, the absence of a cycle of substances and energy, insignificant species diversity and constant monitoring by humans.