Artificial ecosystems are manmade habitats consisting of biotic and abiotic components that have been put together.When humans put together a system that has both biotic and abiotic components but required human intervention to function normally.
Artificial ecosystem characteristics:
Characteristics of an artificial ecosystem include:
- Artificial ecosystems are entirely man-made and require humans to take care of them.
- Most of them have very little genetic diversity in terms of the organisms-both flora and fauna.
- Artificial ecosystems cannot sustain the evolution of the organism residing in them.
- Both food chains and nutrient cycles are very short and usually incomplete to boot.
Artificial Ecosystem examples include:
Aquariums
The most commonly seen in homes among aqua culturists or ornamentally aquariums are also artificial ecosystem examples created by humans. They can be saltwater, freshwater, or brackish water ecosystems created inside glass tanks of various sizes. They are provided with filters and host everything from plants, fishes, corals and anemones to even crustaceans and mollusks.
A planted freshwater aquarium kept by a hobbyist
Crop fields
Made for the purpose of agriculture for growing food crops, vegetables and edible plants crops fields are probably the most important among the artificial ecosystem examples listed. Earlier most fields grew only one type of crop, but recently due to an increase in soil erosion farmers have been practising crop rotation.
Dams
Dams are another of man’s creations among the artificial ecosystem examples. Built over rivers, they are used to store water during the drier seasons and also aid in the production of hydroelectricity. To keep the stagnant water clean, plenty of fish and organisms are kept in these dams that live under the care of humans.
Zoos
Zoos or zoological parks are another commonly known artificial ecosystem examples that are listed above. They are made and maintained by humans to keep animals and birds in captive conditions that are similar to their habitats.
Terrariums
A terrarium is a glass container that contains soil and plants and may be opened to access the plants within for upkeep. Among the artificial ecosystem examples mentioned in the list, terrariums are on a rise in popularity courtesy of plant enthusiasts and botanists.
Artificial wetlands
Artificial wetlands were created for various purposes. Raw sewage, stormwater, agricultural, and industrial discharges can all be chemically cleaned in constructed wetlands. Constructed wetlands catch runoff, reduce nutrient levels, and provide diverse wildlife habitats, much like natural wetlands.
Managed forestry
Manages forests are of great importance among the artificial ecosystem examples in the field of conservation. These are forest areas created by humans, to imitate the natural forest cover that would grow in that area. These trees and vegetation and grown and transplanted, thereby helping to conserve plant species that are nearly on the brink of extinction due to deforestation and logging.
Hydroponics
Hydroponics or aquaculture is probably the least known among the artificial ecosystem examples mentioned in the list. This method become more convenient as the amount of tillable land was not enough to grow crops. In this method farmers grow crops in water that is supplied with nutrients and inert gases, thereby reducing the need for pesticides or fertilizers and also decreasing carbon footprint.
Another artificial ecosystem of hydroponics being used to grow salad greens
https://lambdageeks.com/artificial-ecosystem-exanple/
By Harshil Bala
Student of KES Shroff College
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