One of the terms that best define and exemplify the importance of environmental conservation and the impact that this protection has on all species is that of “ecological community”. However, although we can all get an idea of what this term means, it is important that you deepen it well to know how to identify it correctly and know the details that surround it. If you want to learn a little more about What is an ecological community, its definition and its characteristicscontinue reading ecology see and we tell you.
What is an ecological community and its characteristics
When we talk about Ecological Communityor biocenosis, biotic community or biological community, we are referring to the set of living beings that inhabit the same place. This place is called Biotope (literally, place for life) and constitutes the most primary space and support of the ecological community.
In this way, when we talk about ecological community we are talking about something that has the definition of a group of living beings of many species and biological types (Microorganisms, vegetables and animals) that live in a related way to each other in the same space. It is a structure that must be understood together, and not as a mere sum of individual beings, since it is precisely in that overall vision, or Holistic visionwhere the ecological community finds its highest value.
How important is an ecological community
Traditionally, we are used to studying individuals as a whole closed and completely defined by themselves. But, when we talk about Ecological Communitythe aspect that requires greater attention is not the individual as a living being, but precisely the relationships established by the individual with the other individuals of their biotope, or place where it lives. In fact, the value that derives from understanding what an ecological community is determined by the understanding that individuals from the same community survive as a wholesince they establish different relationships with each other and that allows, together, that life survives and prosper in the biotope in which it is located.
The ecological community shows the relationship between the different species of living beings that live in the same habitat. These relationships are established in all areas, from the trophic chain (the food chain), to much more subtle aspects, such as symbiosis relationships that are established between some bacteria and some animals, between vegetables that serve as a refuge for some animals, or the way in which some carnivores avoid the overpopulation of herbivorous species that would affect plant life.
As you can see, the word that best describes and exemplifies the great value of ecological communities is “balance.” The ecological balance It refers to a state in which, having movement and dynamism, the set is ordered. That is exactly what happens with ecological communities. They are spaces full of life and biological activity but that, thanks to the fact that all species act in balance with each other and with the biotope that supports the entire structure, they do not develop in a self -destructive or invasive way. This allows continuous and sustainable development, which guarantees the biological wealth and success of all species that are integrated into the ecological community, without their individual activity entails the destruction of other species.
How ecological communities can be preserved
Naturally, the species that causes more damage to ecological communities is the human being, since its activity tends to destabilize the balance that characterizes this type of communities. However, if the way of relating to the ecological community is changed, as well as establishing a series of guidelines when carrying out the activities that we carry out as a species, we can minimize the negative impact of the human being on ecological communities of any kind:
Avoid overexploitation
Overexploitation is defined by an exploitation of natural resources above the amount that the ecosystem is trained to support. Carrying out a responsible exploitation of resources, the ecological community is protected that depends on them.
Avoid overpopulation
In a deeper sense, any overexploitation usually has a background of excess population and, in that, the human being is an expert. It is important to assume that the natural resources of any ecosystem are limited and, consequently, it is important to avoid overpopulation situations that will necessarily lead to an exhaustion of non -renewable natural resources.
Avoid the introduction of invasive species
Each ecological community has formed from thousands, and even millions, of years of evolution that have led to the current balance. The introduction of new biological agents (microbes, vegetables, animals, etc.) tends to destabilize any ecological community, so it is important to avoid the introduction of invasive species in other ecological communities.
Create protected areas of high biological value
Not all ecological communities are the same. It is considered that those that have a greater number of species are more important than those that have less, as well as those that have native species that are not found in other places. These communities require greater protection than those in which biological wealth is not so special and particular. In this way, the best way to protect these biological communities is to isolate them from certain human actions, which is achieved by determining protected areas.
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