Question

difference between ecosystemm and enviroment

Answer 1

An ecosystem can be defined as a communitymade up of living organisms and nonliving components such as air, water and mineral soil.[2] However, ecosystems can be defined in many ways.[3] The biotic and abiotic components interact through nutrient cyclesand energy flows.[4] Ecosystems include a network of interactions among organisms, and between organisms and their environment.[5] Ecosystems can be of any size but one ecosystem has a specific, limited space.[6] Some scientists view the entire planet as one ecosystem.[7]

Energy, water, nitrogen and soil minerals are other essential abiotic components of an ecosystem. The energy that flows through ecosystems comes primarily from the sun, through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis also captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Animals also play an important role in the movement of matter and energy through ecoystems. They influence the amount of plant and microbial biomass that lives in the system. As organic matter dies, decomposers release carbon back to the atmosphere. This process also facilitates nutrient cycling by converting nutrients stored in dead biomass back to a form that can be used again by plants and other microbes.[8]

Ecosystems are controlled both by external and internal factors. External factors such as climate, the parent material that forms the soil, topography and time have a big impact on ecosystems, but they are not themselves influenced by the ecosystem.[9] Ecosystems are dynamic: they are subject to periodic disturbances and are in the process of recovering from past disturbances.[10] Internal factors are different: They not only control ecosystem processes but are also controlled by them. Internal factors are subject to feedback loops.[9]

Humans operate within ecosystems. The effects of human activities can influence internal and external factors.[9] Global warming is an example of a cumulative impact of human activities. Ecosystems provide benefits, called "ecosystem services", which people depend on for their livelihood. Ecosystem management is more efficient than trying to manage individual species.

Answer 2

What is the difference between ecology, environment, and ecosystem?

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Rohit, void

Answered Jun 21, 2016

Ecology- Etymology is oikos+ logy. Oikos means house or dwelling.

Ecology is the study of relationships and interactions of living organisms with other living organisms and its surroundingenvironment.Thus its the study of house of an organism(its env + other fellow beings)

Thus there are 3 things that we study in ecology-

living organismsRelationship & interactions with other organisms. E.g whether there is symbiotic relationship like rhizobium and legume plant roots, or Competition among herbivorous animals for food.Relationship & interactions with surrounding environment. It means how it responds to climate, soil, topography, water availability, atmosphere. e.g Animals in deserts have long ears to increase heat loss and keep themselves cool while animals in cold areas have small ears to prevent heat loss. It also includes Energy flow(Food chains/Food web) , nutrient cycles and Ecological succession.

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Environment refers to the surroundings. It has 2 components biotic and abiotic.

Biotic includes - surrounding plant & animal communities and micro organisms. Abioticfactors includes- soil, sunlight, topography, water, atmosphere, nutrients etc

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Ecosystem is a functional unit. It includes env(biotic+ abiotic) and ecology(how living organisms interact with each other and the environment).

Thus Ecosystem= Ecology+ Environment

Ecosystem can be as big as our Earth or as small as a drop of water(water + micro-organisms).

hope is helps!!!!