balance of nature
noun
population equilibrium among organisms and their environments resulting from continuous interaction and interdependency.
Origin of balance of nature
First recorded in 1905–10
Words nearby balance of nature
balance,
balance beam,
balance bridge,
balance control,
balance lug,
balance of nature,
balance of payments,
balance of power,
balance of terror,
balance of trade,
balance pipe
British Dictionary definitions for balance of nature
balance of nature
noun
the stable state in which natural communities of animals and plants exist, maintained by adaptation, competition, and other interactions between members of the communit ies and their nonliving environment
Cultural definitions for balance of nature
balance of nature
A concept in ecology that describes natural systems as being in a state of equilibrium, in which disturbing one element disturbs the entire system. The inference is usually drawn that the natural state of any system is the preferred state and that it is best to leave it undisturbed. Modern ecologists no longer believe that a balance of nature exists.