Artificial ecosystems and stability

Ecosystem stability is the ability to keep its structure and function even when factors change; it is ensured by cycling of matter, the flow of solar energy, species diversity and complex food links. The more species there are and the more genetically diverse the populations, the more likely it is that when the environment changes, even if one species disappears, others take over its role. Homeostasis is the self-regulating dynamic balance of an ecosystem; if humans break food chains, homeostasis is lost. Succession is the progressive replacement of communities. Primary succession begins where there is no soil or vegetation (volcanic lava, a new sand dune, bare rock): lichens and mosses → grasses → shrubs → trees; soil forms gradually and it takes hundreds of years. Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance such as fire, logging or an abandoned field, when seeds and roots remain in the soil, and it proceeds faster. The end result is a climax – a balanced, stable community (taiga, steppe) in which the biomass produced is roughly equal to the biomass used. The higher the biodiversity, the faster the ecosystem recovers from stress (drought, fire).