The term “biogeocenoses” is not commonly used in everyday language, but it is an important concept in the field of ecology. Biogeocenoses refer to the complex interactions between living organisms and their physical environment, including the abiotic factors such as soil, water, and climate. In this article, we will explore the definition and meaning of biogeocenoses, as well as their origin and associations.
Definitions
The term “biogeocenoses” was first coined by the German biologist Ernst Haeckel in the late 19th century. He used it to describe the interdependent relationships between living organisms and their environment. Today, biogeocenoses are defined as the complex systems of living organisms and their physical environment, including the biotic and abiotic factors that influence them.
In simpler terms, biogeocenoses can be thought of as the communities of plants, animals, and microorganisms that inhabit a particular ecosystem, along with the physical factors that shape that ecosystem.
Origin
The concept of biogeocenoses has its roots in the work of Charles Darwin and other early ecologists, who recognized the importance of studying the interactions between living organisms and their environment. However, it was Ernst Haeckel who first coined the term in his book “Generelle Morphologie der Organismen” (General Morphology of Organisms) in 1866.
Since then, the study of biogeocenoses has become increasingly important in the field of ecology, as researchers seek to understand the complex relationships between living organisms and their physical environment.
Meaning in different dictionaries
The term “biogeocenoses” is not commonly used in everyday language, and therefore may not be found in many dictionaries. However, some ecological and scientific dictionaries do provide definitions for the term.
For example, the “Dictionary of Ecology” by Michael Allaby defines biogeocenoses as “the living communities of plants, animals, and microorganisms in a particular ecosystem, together with the physical environment in which they live.”
Associations
Biogeocenoses are closely associated with the concepts of ecosystems, biomes, and biodiversity. Ecosystems are the complex systems of living organisms and their physical environment, while biomes are large-scale regions characterized by similar climatic and ecological conditions.
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms in a particular ecosystem or biome, and is closely linked to the health and stability of biogeocenoses.
Synonyms
There are several synonyms for the term biogeocenoses, including “ecosystems,” “biotic communities,” and “biotic systems.” These terms all refer to the complex relationships between living organisms and their physical environment.
Antonyms
There are no direct antonyms for biogeocenoses, as the term refers to a complex system rather than a single entity. However, some antonyms for related concepts might include “inorganic” (as opposed to “biotic”) or “non-living” (as opposed to “living”).
The same root words
The term “biogeocenoses” is derived from three Greek words: “bios” (meaning “life”), “geo” (meaning “earth”), and “koinos” (meaning “common”). These root words are also found in other scientific terms, such as “biogeochemistry” (the study of the chemical processes in living organisms and their environment) and “biogeography” (the study of the distribution of living organisms on Earth).
Example Sentences
- The biogeocenoses of the Amazon rainforest are some of the most diverse and complex in the world.
- The health of biogeocenoses in the Arctic is being threatened by climate change and melting sea ice.
- Ecologists study biogeocenoses to understand how living organisms interact with their physical environment.
- The restoration of degraded biogeocenoses can help to improve biodiversity and ecosystem services.