Ecosystem

Ecosystem is the set of living organisms and their physical and chemical environments.

The term ecosystem originates from the union of the words ” oikos ” and ” system “, that is, it has the meaning, system of the house. It represents the set of communities that inhabit and interact in a given space.

• Biotic Factors : All living organisms. Primary producers, consumers, decomposers and parasites.
• Abiotic factors : Physical and chemical environment that provides conditions for life. Nutrients, water, rain, humidity, soil, sun, air, gases, temperature, etc.

The ecosystem is the basic unit of study of Ecology.

Types of Ecosystem

Ecosystems are divided into:

• Terrestrial ecosystems : They are represented by forests, deserts, mountains, prairies and grasslands.
• Aquatic ecosystems : Comprise freshwater environments such as lakes, mangroves, rivers. In addition to marine environments such as seas and oceans.

The set of terrestrial ecosystems is called a biome. Biomes are ecosystems with characteristic vegetation and a predominant type of climate, which gives them a general and unique character.

Two basic components of Ecosystem

We can divide the ecosystem into two basic components : the biotic and the abiotic.

The biotic components 

of an ecosystem are living beings such as plants, animals and micro-organisms. We can divide these components into two main groups: autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms. The former produce their own food through the processes of photosynthesis and chemosynthesis, while the heterotrophs are consumers and decomposers.

The abiotic components ,

in turn, are those non-living factors, such as light, temperature, nutrients, soil and water. Although we do not give much importance to abiotic factors when we think of an ecosystem, they are fundamental for the survival of organisms. Among these components, we can highlight solar radiation, which allows the process of photosynthesis by photosynthetic beings. In addition, water and temperature also play an important role in the survival of organisms.

To facilitate understanding and teaching, ecosystems are often divided into two groups: aquatic and terrestrial . Among the terrestrial ecosystems, we can mention the forests, deserts, fields, savannas, among others. As examples of aquatic ecosystems, we can mention rivers, seas, oceans and lakes.

Examples of Ecosystems

Ecosystems have different scales. There is no size to define an ecosystem.

The largest ecosystem that exists is the biosphere . It brings together all existing ecosystems. It refers to the layer of the Earth inhabited by living beings and where they interact.

Ecosystems can also be simpler. For example, a puddle of water is an ecosystem, as there are several living microorganisms that interact with each other and with environmental factors.

Tropical forests represent the most complex ecosystems, given the great biodiversity and numerous ecological relationships between living beings and abiotic factors.