What is an ecosystem?
Geography · Middle School · Thu Feb 04 2021
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An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the non-living components of their environment, interacting as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. In simpler terms, an ecosystem can be any size group of interacting living things and their physical environment. For example, a pond, a forest, or even a small rotting log can be an ecosystem.
Ecosystems are characterized by processes such as the cycling of water and nutrients, the flow of energy from the sun through photosynthesis in plants, herbivores eating those plants, predators eating the herbivores, and decomposers breaking down dead materials. These processes create a delicate balance to sustain the ecosystem.