Ecosystems and Habitats

What Is an Ecosystem?#

An ecosystem is all the living things (organisms) in an area AND the non-living parts of their environment working together as a system. Understanding ecosystems means understanding how living and non-living things interact.

Biotic and Abiotic Factors#

Biotic factors are all the living parts of an ecosystem:

• Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria
• Includes organisms that are alive AND dead organisms (as food/nutrients)

Abiotic factors are all the non-living parts:

• Sunlight, temperature, water, soil type
• Wind, precipitation, air, minerals

Biotic and abiotic factors interact constantly. For example:

• Sunlight (abiotic) enables plants (biotic) to grow
• Plants improve soil (abiotic) quality
• Soil quality affects which animals (biotic) can live there

What Is a Habitat?#

A habitat is the specific place where an organism lives — the environment that provides its food, water, shelter, and space. A habitat must meet all of an organism's survival needs.

• A monarch butterfly's habitat: meadows with milkweed plants
• A clownfish's habitat: tropical coral reef
• A polar bear's habitat: Arctic ice flös

What Is a Biome?#

A biome is a large geographic area with similar climate, plants, and animals. The major land biomes include:

Each biome has characteristic organisms adapted to its specific conditions.