How to Describe the Characteristics & Boundaries of the Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a set of complex and interdependent relationships between living species, including humans, and their natural environment. The relationships within an ecosystem depend primarily on obtaining and distributing nutrients and maintaining the balance of life or equilibrium between species. Ecosystems are highly vulnerable to outside changes, such as the introduction of pollutants or disease, and because of their interconnected nature, alterations to the health or population size of one species impact the entire system. To describe the characteristics and boundaries of an ecosystem, explain its principal components, relationships and internal functions.

Instructions

• 1

  Identify biotic factors. The biotic factors of an ecosystem are all of its living parts and the waste that they generate. Explain that biotic parts include plants, animals, humans and micro-organisms such as bacteria and viruses.

• 2

  Identify abiotic factors. The abiotic components of an ecosystem are the nonliving elements, such as air, temperature, water, gases, soil and energy sources like sunlight.

• 3

  Describe the relationship between biotic and abiotic parts. Biotic parts of an ecosystem depend directly on the abiotic elements, as species develop according to the conditions of their environment. Provide an illustration of how changes in abiotic factors are disruptive to biotic parts, such as how the rising temperatures associated with global warming affect aquatic life.

• 4

  Describe the relationships between biotic parts. Within an ecosystem, living components are related in a hierarchical manner determined mainly by nutrient availability and feeding practices, a relationship commonly known as the "food chain." Examine the different types of food chain relationships, such as parasites, predator-prey arrangements and biodegradation. Consider the role of bacteria in an ecosystem and how they consume the waste matter from living species and aid in the generation of the environment.

• 5

  Explore ecosystem boundaries. Consider whether the ecosystem is closed or open. For instance, examine whether the relationships of feeding and reproduction are confined to a specific environmental region or whether they expand across multiple environments. Describe how ecosystems that include humans tend to be open because human consumption of food and natural resources draws increasingly on global supplies.

• 6

  Discuss the difficulty of establishing boundaries. The concept of an ecosystem is based on orders of magnitude from the microscopic to the very large, and in its definition does not have exact limits. Consider the challenges of drawing boundaries, especially in the context of highly complex ecosystems such as urban areas. Additionally, draw attention to how seemingly closed ecosystems might have broader boundaries because of human activities. Describe, for instance, that the boundaries of a forest ecosystem could include nearby towns and cities that use the forest for logging, hunting or extracting resources.