balance of nature

American  

noun

1. population equilibrium among organisms and their environments resulting from continuous interaction and interdependency.

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balance of nature British  

noun

1. 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

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balance of nature Cultural  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of balance of nature

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

As she demonstrates, it’s impossible to separate deer from American and European notions of a mythical “balance of nature.”

From Los Angeles Times

The fate of monkeys is, in essence, a reflection of our commitment to preserving the delicate balance of nature, and by safeguarding them, we secure a brighter, more harmonious future for all living beings.

From Salon

The film shows what happens to a small, rural community when a Tokyo talent agency decides to build an upmarket glamping site in the nearby woods, threatening to contaminate the village water supply and disturb the balance of nature.

From Reuters

To assume that humans in any way can effectively control the balance of nature is an exercise in futility.

From Washington Post

Yet by keeping feral cats in environments where they don't occur naturally, humans are unknowingly preserving an invasive species in the ecosystem — one that effectively kills many other animals in the environment, thus upsetting the balance of nature.

From Salon