What is an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a natural environment where living organisms and their non-living environmental factors interact with each other. An ecosystem consists of living things, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms, and their nonliving environmental factors, such as air, water, soil, and climate. All these factors influence each other and form a balanced whole.

Ecosystems can be very different depending on location and climatic conditions. For example, in a rainforest, the ecosystem is very diverse and rich in species, while in a desert, the ecosystem is very sparse and adapted to a dry environment.

Ecosystems provide organisms with food, protection and reproductive opportunities. They also regulate the functioning of the climate and water cycle and bind carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Humans are also part of the ecosystem and depend on the services it provides, such as clean water and food.

It is important to protect and preserve different ecosystems so that their diversity is preserved and species can continue to live. Human activities, such as deforestation, pollution and climate change, threaten many ecosystems and their species. That is why it is important to make sustainable choices and protect nature for future generations.

Sources: Maailma.net, Ympäristö.fi