Components of the ecosystem. An example of a connection between animate and inanimate nature.

The world of living and inanimate nature is always in close interaction. Plants and animals are living creatures. Plants for survival need air, water, light, nutrients, space and optimal temperature. Animals need air, food, water, shelter and space. All living things on Earth can reproduce and create their own kind. Inanimate natural objects, such as the sun, stones, water and earth, do not grow or multiply. Despite the obvious differences, the living and inanimate nature (the pictures below) are closely related.

Living and inanimate nature

The earth is filled with biological diversity of a huge number of life forms. This includes all living organisms: plants, animals, people. The world is also filled with inanimate objects. Non-living things do not consist of living cells, as a rule, they do not grow and can not create their own kind. Sunlight, air, rocks, water and relief forms (hills, valleys, mountains) are all examples of inanimate objects of nature. However, the fact that they are inanimate does not at all mean that they are not important for the survival of other organisms.

One can meet the following example of a connection between animate and inanimate nature. Organisms need soil, which consists of tiny stone slices and small fragments of dead plants and animals. The creatures that live in the soil are often too small to see them without a microscope.

Properties of living organisms

All living organisms can make movements, some of them can move actively, run, walk, swim, fly (animals), and some show insignificant movements in space (plants). All living things exchange gases with their environment. Animals consume oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. This process is called breathing. Another sign that distinguishes living nature from inanimate is excretion, or the removal of metabolic products from the body. If these wastes stay in the body for a long time, they can gradually poison it.

When living things eat, they get energy. Part of this energy is used for growth. Organisms grow larger and have a more complex organization as they grow older. A vivid example of the connection between animate and inanimate nature demonstrates the dependence of animals and plants on their environment. They react to sunlight, heat, cold and various sounds produced by inanimate nature. Among the properties of living nature an important place is occupied by the ability to reproduce. And this characteristic is characteristic for both animals and plants.

Ecosystem components

What is an ecosystem? This is a community of organisms interacting with each other, as well as with inanimate components of nature for the purpose of sustainable development and adaptation to changing environmental conditions. The living, inanimate nature (the 2nd class in school is the time for studying this topic on natural history) - all these are components of the ecosystem. All living things in the ecosystem are either producers or consumers. They are also called biotic components.

Manufacturers can produce organic components, for example, plants using photosynthesis can produce starch, carbohydrates, cellulose. Consumers are components that depend on the producers, depending on the method of supply. Among the inanimate objects of nature, there are physical and chemical factors that directly or indirectly affect living organisms, for example, air, water, earth, stone, and others. They are also called abiotic components. Physical factors include sunlight, water, fire, soil, air, temperature and others. Chemical factors include humidity, salinity of water, minerals, chemical elements and so on.

Classification of ecosystems

One can cite an example of a connection between animate and inanimate nature, where due to abiotic factors, different ecosystems develop in different ways. These factors, their interaction with each other and with biotic constituents have led to the formation of different types of ecosystems. Among them there is a terrestrial (forests, meadows, tundra, desert), soil and water (sea, ocean, rivers, lakes and so on) ecosystems.

The world of inanimate nature

In the world of nature, any object that does not possess all the characteristics of living beings is an inanimate component of the ecosystem. A living cell consists of a number of organic and inorganic chemicals that are inanimate in themselves, but in a living organism they become vital components. The most important characteristic of non-living things is the absence of protoplasm, which is the fundamental basis of life.

The main characteristics of inanimate nature

Non-living nature does not consist of cells, for it structural organization of tissues, organs or systems of organs is not characteristic. As such, non-living nature also does not. Liquids take the form of the container or container in which they are located. When heated, the water passes into a gaseous state or can even be frozen to a solid state.

Movement never happens by itself, it is possible only with external influences. Growth is possible only by adding materials from outside. For example, a crystal in solution or a snowflake can increase in size by accumulating particles of its own block on the outer surface of the original body.

Absence of nutrition, excretion, respiration, reproduction, sensitivity and adaptation are characteristics of inanimate objects. One of the main properties is an unlimited life, in other words, immortality. All non-living things on Earth can be divided into two main types:

• Inanimate things that have never been part of a living being. For example, glass, stone, gold, any chemical elements and other similar examples.
• Non-living things that were once part of a living being. The best example is coal, which was formed as a result of the death and decay of living plants. Paper itself is not a living being, but it is also made of trees. This example of a connection between animate and inanimate nature clearly shows that, in the presence of certain circumstances and time, a gradual transition from the living to the lifeless is possible.

Ecosystem is a rich natural world. The living and inanimate nature, pictures and examples of which can be found everywhere, are in complex relationships. This activity shows the interconnection of all elements of the ecosystem. For example, minor air pollution can affect amphibians, which are very sensitive to external influences, as they breathe through the skin. This can lead to an increase in the number of insects in the food chain. An increased population of insects can change the condition of plants, up to total destruction of certain species, and so on. Thus, one small change in the ecosystem can cause a real environmental problem. In a healthy ecosystem, there is always a sufficient biodiversity of plants, animals and their habitats, and there is a balance between living and non-living components.