Principles of biological adaptation of organisms in artificial ecosystems to changes of environmental factors Original Research Article

Studying material transformations and biotic cycling in artificial ecosystems (AES), we need to know the principles of biological adaptation of active organisms to change in the environment. Microorganisms in AES for water purification are the most active transforming organisms and consumers of the organic substances contained in wastes. Utilization of organic substances is directly connected with the energy fluxes used by AES. According to energy criteria, the energy fluxes used by a biological system tend to reach maximum values under stable conditions. Unutilized substrate concentration decreases as a result of biological adaptations. After a dramatic change in environmental factors, for example, after a sharp increase in the flow rate of organic substances, the biological system is not able to react quickly. The concentration of unutilized substrate increases and the energy flux used by the biological system decreases. The structure of the microbial community also changes, with a decrease in biological diversity. The efficiency of energy use by simple terrestrial ecosystems depends on the energetic intensity and interactions between plants and rhizospheric microorganisms.