Deutsch: Ökosystem / Español: Ecosistema / Português: Ecossistema / Français: Écosystème / Italiano: Ecosistema /

An ecosystem is an interconnected and symbiotic grouping of animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms.

Description

An ecosystem refers to a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment. It includes plants, animals, microorganisms, soil, rocks, minerals, water sources, and the local atmosphere. Ecosystems are complex, interconnected systems where each component plays a vital role in maintaining balance and sustainability. They can be as small as a pond or as vast as a rainforest, each with its unique characteristics and interactions. Ecosystems are dynamic and constantly evolving, adapting to changes in climate, species composition, and human activities. Understanding ecosystems is crucial for preserving biodiversity, managing natural resources, and mitigating the impacts of environmental threats.

Application Areas

• Conservation biology
• Ecological restoration
• Environmental monitoring
• Sustainable agriculture
• Waste management

Treatment and Risks

• Habitat destruction
• Climate change
• Introduced species
• Pollution
• Overexploitation of resources

Examples

• The Amazon rainforest ecosystem
• The Great Barrier Reef ecosystem
• The African savanna ecosystem
• The Arctic tundra ecosystem
• The freshwater lake ecosystem

Similar Concepts and Synonyms

• Biome
• Environment
• Habitat
• Natural system
• Ecological community

Articles with 'Ecosystem' in the title

• Agroecosystem: An Agroecosystem is land used for crops, pasture, and livestock- the adjacent uncultivated land that supports other vegetation and wildlife- and the associated atmosphere, the underlying soils, groundwater, and drainage networks
• Arid ecosystems: Arid ecosystems: arid ecosystems are Terrestrial systems characterized by a Climate regime where the potential Evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation, annual precipitation is not less than 5 cm and not more than 60 cm, and daily and . . .
• Ecosystem disruption: Ecosystem disruption in the environmental context refers to significant changes to an ecosystem that adversely affect its structure, function, and the services it provides
• Ecosystem feedback: Ecosystem feedback in the environmental context refers to the responses within an ecosystem that either amplify or dampen the effects of environmental changes
• Ecosystem functions: Ecosystem functions: ecosystem functions are Energy circuits, food chains, Diversity patterns in time and space, Nutrient cycles, development and evolution, and control within an ecosystem
• Ecosystem structure: Ecosystem structure: An ecosystem structure is Pattern of the interrelations of organisms in time and in spatial arrangements. (Odum 1971, 8-9)
• Ecosystem restoration: Ecosystem restoration refers to the process of assisting the recovery and rehabilitation of ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed due to human activity or natural events

Weblinks

• umweltdatenbank.de: 'Ökosystem' im Lexikon der umweltdatenbank.de (German)
• umweltdatenbank.de: 'Ökosystem' im Lexikon der umweltdatenbank.de (German)
• psychology-lexicon.com: 'Ecosystem' in the psychology-lexicon.com
• top500.de: 'Ecosystem' in the glossary of the top500.de

Summary

An ecosystem is a complex network of organisms and their physical environment that interact to form a functional unit. It encompasses a wide range of components and processes that contribute to the overall health and sustainability of the system. Understanding ecosystems is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services essential for human well-being.

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