3 Facts About Ecosystems

The Franklin Institute, which is dedicated to science and technology education, defines an ecosystem as "any group of living and nonliving things interacting with each other." Earth is comprised of numerous ecosystems that vary in size and complexity. Many of these ecosystems are being negatively impacted by human interaction and are at risk of being damaged beyond repair.

Habitats

• Every ecosystem contains habitats. A habitat is the place where several living organisms of the same kind coexist simultaneously. This living arrangement is referred to as a population. Food, water, shelter and space are the four basic components of a habitat. Populations will thrive in specific habitats because of the abundance or scarcity of these components. Earthworms, for example, need moist soil to complement their moist skin while other populations have hard outer shells that protect them in drier habitats. Wherever a population's needs are not met, the group will move to a new habitat. Clean air promotes population growth, but polluted air restricts it. This is why organizations such as the Convention on Biological Diversity are committed to ensuring the conservation of habitats and ecosystems that are vital to human life.

Geography

• Climate affects the types of ecosystems that exist in various regions. Ecosystems range from grasslands and deserts to coral reefs and ponds to rain forests and tundra. Even though every place on Earth gets the same annual number of hours of sunlight, they do not get the same amount of heat. The inequality in heat distribution accounts for the various wind, ocean and temperature differences around the world.

Biomes

• According to James Byers, a professor in the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia, a biome is an ecosystem that may be found in a distinct geographic region. The University of California Museum of Paleontology lists six major types of biomes: freshwater, marine, desert, forest, grassland and tundra. The freshwater and marine biomes are regarded as the most important because almost all living organisms on Earth cannot survive without water.

Considerations

• Ecosystems and the biomes, habitats and populations that exist within them must maintain a certain balance in order to survive. As of May 2011, 622 U.S. animal species and 792 plant species are listed as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Report. The mass extinction of plants and animals may result in a non-livable ecosystem in the future. Awareness and education about practices that are harmful to the environment is crucial to preserving the world's ecosystems.