Ecosystems
Ecosystems
Ecosystems (pronunciation: /ˈiːkəʊˌsɪstəm,ˈɛkəʊˌsɪstəm/) are communities of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.
Etymology
The term "Ecosystem" was first coined in 1935 by British ecologist Arthur Tansley, who defined it as the whole system, including not only the organism-complex, but also the whole complex of physical factors forming what we call the environment.
Related Terms
- Biotic component: The living organisms that shape an ecosystem and affect the survival of other species in the same ecosystem.
- Abiotic component: Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems.
- Biodiversity: The variety and variability of life on Earth. It is typically a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level.
- Biome: A community of plants and animals that have common characteristics for the environment they exist in.
- Food chain: A series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.
- Habitat: The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ecosystems
- Wikipedia's article - Ecosystems
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