1.1 What are Ecosystems?

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals, and microbes) interacting with their nonliving environment (e.g. air, water, soil, sunlight). Ecosystems can be as large as a forest or as small as a pond.

  • Types of Ecosystems:
    • Terrestrial: Forests, grasslands, deserts, tundras, mountains.
    • Aquatic: Freshwater (rivers, lakes, ponds, wetlands) and Marine (oceans, coral reefs, estuaries).
  • Ecosystem Services: Healthy ecosystems provide essential benefits to humans, often called "ecosystem services":
    • Provisioning: Food, water, timber, fiber.
    • Regulating: Climate regulation, flood control, disease regulation, water purification, air quality regulation.
    • Cultural: Recreation, aesthetic beauty, spiritual enrichment.
    • Supporting: Nutrient cycling, soil formation, primary production.