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Definition of an Ecosystem
An ecosystem is defined as a complex, dynamic community of organisms including plants, animals and micro-organisms that all interact among themselves as well as with the environment that they live in. Ecosystems don't have strict boundaries or sizes; they can range from something as small as a dead tree stump to something as large as the ocean. Earth itself can also be considered one giant ecosystem.
Types of Ecosystems
There are many different types of ecosystems. They can be divided into two large categories: aquatic and terrestrial. These two categories can then be further sub-divided into specific ecosystems, also known as biomes. Aquatic biomes include freshwater and marine ecosystems, while terrestrial biomes include arctic, alpine, forest, grassland, savanna and desert ecosystems. Some of these categories can be broken down even further based on the types of organisms that inhabit them.
Biotic Communities
A biotic community is formed from all of the living organisms within a certain area, habitat or ecosystem. The three types of organisms that live in a biotic community are producers, consumers and decomposers. The members of a biotic community are interdependent in that they all depend on one another in some way for survival. This interdependence is what makes a biotic community stable, and the more species that make up a biotic community, the more stable it will generally be.
Biotic Communities and Ecosystems
A biotic community cannot survive on its own; it relies on abiotic factors for survival. Abiotic factors are the nonliving parts of the environment like soil, air, sunlight, water and other components that are essential but not alive. The difference between a biotic community and an ecosystem is that an ecosystem is made up of both biotic and abiotic communities and factors. Biotic communities are a part of ecosystems and need to be part of an ecosystem in order to survive, while the ecosystem as a whole is self-sustaining.