Advantages and Disadvantages of Ecosystem

An ecosystem can be expressed in the simplest way as the interaction or sync that exists between living and non-living organisms. In other words, it refers to the habitat where living things interact. And that’s precisely what an ecosystem is. You may want to know where these ecosystems exist. Well, literally, they are everywhere! You, me, the fish in the pond, birds flying in the sky, bacteria in the soil, and other organisms in between. All of us are part of an ecosystem. Simple as that! But the question is, why do these ecosystems really exist? Now, the short answer to that is that these ecosystems exist to make sure that life forms are sustained and thrive.

Advantages of Ecosystems

1. Good For Biodiversity, That’s For Sure!

No matter how it sounds to you, you see, ecosystems are actually at least one of the significant reasons why we have numerous plant, animal, and bacterium varieties living right here on Earth. This variety is not just the number of species though. It is also determined by the ability of the species to withstand destructive changes, such as climate change or infestation by insects, right? So the final takeaway for you is that the very balance that nature gives us is what we should be trying to protect as our utmost priority, and when nature is successful, so are we. It’s that simple.

2. Maintaining The Climate?

By the way, we’re sure you heard about how ecosystems in the animals and birds played the role of the actors of the planet Earth and at the same time, the work of healing the injury caused by whatever it is, like earthquakes or the damage that was caused by us human beings? For that, we can give you an example. Look at the Amazon rainforest, it practically filters the whole world in fact, and really! You should look into that. And the same thing is done by the oceans at a super large scale.

3. Provisioning Services, What’s That?

And we would not be wrong to say that ecosystems are a natural store or like one of the supermarkets, you know what we mean? Like all the things needed to stay in life like food, energy, water, or something like that. It is the ecosystem through which we are able to obtain that thing, and this is not only for us, that’s the case for each and every species that lives on this planet.

4. Regulating Services

Well, sure, it seems we, the human race, are causing a lot of damage to nature, but the truth is that nature has a way of getting back on track, so it manages water quality, controls floods, and protects our areas from erosion. That’s how it is. Nature is just showing these sides of the ecosystem that are almost a balancing act, the thing is that it is us who cause nature to be that way.

5. Cultural Benefits, How?

Besides the benefits with regards to the ecosystems, the other thing is how these ecosystems actually push our culture forward, you know? Whether it is just a walk, it is a new art creation, it is a spiritual experience, it is the other thing, or something of the same kind. As long as we live in this environment, we are always a part of the ecosystem. And this is the particular thing from which culture arises. So it is not wrong to make such a statement that there are cultural benefits of ecosystems as well.

6. Scientific and Educational Value

The first thing we are curious about is our surroundings from a very early age, right? Many experts indicate that ecosystems play a very important role in the process of learning us and ourselves plus other species on the planet. It is the study of our surroundings, ecosystem, or nature as a whole that makes us, the human race, grow even more.

Disadvantages of Ecosystems

1. The Invasive Species Threat

The threat of invasive species is a significant one for ecosystems, which are being invaded by non-native flora and fauna, you know? To add to that, there is a huge emotional component involved, you see, we humans have for centuries and god knows how long have used animals for our benefit, and we are a prime example of an invasive species that is a threat to others in the ecosystem.

2. What About Natural Disasters?

Both ecosystems and human societies are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods, storms, and fires, which is not a secret at all. And to be honest, recovering from these natural disasters is not a cheap thing, it costs a lot to rebuild everything from scratch.

3. Disease Transmission

With the exploitation humans are doing to flora and fauna, and the ecosystems around us, there is always a risk of some sort of disease outbreak. And it is not just us humans that are responsible for that, there are oftentimes animals and some kind of mutation that cause these disease outbreaks. Remember the recent COVID-19 outbreak? Yes, that’s the prime example of what we are talking about here.

4. Economic Costs

You see, in some parts of the world, for instance, cutting down trees is less time-consuming than for example the reforestation of the same area, so people will choose the mechanical way instead. And that’s why we have been ruining ecosystems without even thinking of the consequences for years. Right? We humans think about the harm that we do to nature only when the balance is ruined.

5. Conflict Over Resource Use

At present, there is a huge tension between what the conservation of ecosystems requires and what the needs of the general public or human race are. See, sure, we humans are exploring many ecosystems right now, but then comes the question: who gets to exploit what, like based on differing expectations, values, rights, and interests?

Comparison Table for Advantages and Disadvantages of Ecosystem