ecosystem | Definition, Components, Examples, Structure ...

Ecosystem, the complex of living organisms, their physical environment, and all their interrelationships in a particular unit of space. An ecosystem can be ... ecosystem Sections&Media Article IntroductionEnergyflowTrophiclevelsNutrientcycling FastFacts RelatedContent Media Videos Images AdditionalInfo MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Science Environment ecosystem Print print Print Pleaseselectwhichsectionsyouwouldliketoprint: TableOfContents Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/science/ecosystem More GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites KhanAcademy-Whatisanecosystem? BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. ecosystem-Children'sEncyclopedia(Ages8-11) ecosystem-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica | ViewEditHistory YamalPeninsula Seeallmedia KeyPeople: CharlesElton PierreDansereau ...(Showmore) RelatedTopics: population ecologicaldisturbance ecologicalresilience trophiccascade biogeochemicalcycle ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ ecosystem,thecomplexoflivingorganisms,theirphysicalenvironment,andalltheirinterrelationshipsinaparticularunitofspace.Abrieftreatmentofecosystemsfollows.Forfulltreatment,seebiosphere. BritannicaQuiz Ecosystems Therearealotofecosystemsintheworld.Howmuchdoyouknowaboutthedifferenttypesofecosystems? Anecosystemcanbecategorizedintoitsabioticconstituents,includingminerals,climate,soil,water,sunlight,andallothernonlivingelements,anditsbioticconstituents,consistingofallitslivingmembers.Linkingtheseconstituentstogetheraretwomajorforces:theflowofenergythroughtheecosystemandthecyclingofnutrientswithintheecosystem.Ecosystemsvaryinsize:somearesmallenoughtobecontainedwithinsinglewaterdropletswhileothersarelargeenoughtoencompassentirelandscapesandregions(seebiome).EnergyflowExaminethetrophiclevelsofproducers,herbivores,andcarnivoresinagivenecosystemUnderstandingenergyflowinecosystems.EncyclopædiaBritannica,Inc.SeeallvideosforthisarticleThefundamentalsourceofenergyinalmostallecosystemsisradiantenergyfromtheSun.Theenergyofsunlightisusedbytheecosystem’sautotrophic,orself-sustaining,organisms(thatis,thosethatcanmaketheirownfood).Consistinglargelyofgreenvegetation,theseorganismsarecapableofphotosynthesis—i.e.,theycanusetheenergyofsunlighttoconvertcarbondioxideandwaterintosimple,energy-richcarbohydrates.Theautotrophsusetheenergystoredwithinthesimplecarbohydratestoproducethemorecomplexorganiccompounds,suchasproteins,lipids,andstarches,thatmaintaintheorganisms’lifeprocesses.Theautotrophicsegmentoftheecosystemiscommonlyreferredtoastheproducerlevel.Followtheenergyflowofaforestecosystemfromthephotosynthesizingautotrophstotheheterotrophs—thatis,fromtheproducerstotheconsumersExplorethedifferenttypesoforganismsthatformaforestecosysteminthisvideo.EncyclopædiaBritannica,Inc.SeeallvideosforthisarticleOrganicmattergeneratedbyautotrophsdirectlyorindirectlysustainsheterotrophicorganisms.Heterotrophsaretheconsumersoftheecosystem;theycannotmaketheirownfood.Theyuse,rearrange,andultimatelydecomposethecomplexorganicmaterialsbuiltupbytheautotrophs.Allanimalsandfungiareheterotrophs,asaremostbacteriaandmanyothermicroorganisms. LoadNextPage