Basic Concepts
In a nutshell: Ecosystems are communities where living and nonliving things interact and depend on each other.
## What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a community of living things—like plants, animals, and tiny microbes—interacting with each other and with their environment. Ecosystems can be as big as a forest or as small as a puddle!
## Living and Nonliving Parts
- **Living parts:** Plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria.
- **Nonliving parts:** Sunlight, water, rocks, soil, and air.
All of these work together to create a balanced system where each part depends on the others.
## Observing Ecosystems
You can observe ecosystems right in your own backyard or local park. Watch how ants build their homes, or see how birds use trees for shelter.
## Why Ecosystems Matter
Ecosystems provide us with food, clean air, and water. They help control the climate and even decompose waste!
### Try This!
- Take a walk and list all the living and nonliving things you see.
- Make a mini-ecosystem in a jar using soil, a small plant, and a little water.
Examples
- A pond is home to fish, frogs, plants, and insects, all interacting together.
- A fallen log in the forest provides shelter for bugs, fungi, and small animals.
Key terms
- Ecosystem
- A community of living and nonliving things that work together.
- Habitat
- The natural home of a plant or animal.
- Organism
- A living thing, like a plant, animal, or microbe.