Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Ecosystem
- The complex of living organisms, their physical environment, and all their interrelationships in a
particular unit of space.
- An ecosystem can be categorized into its abiotic constituents, including minerals, climate, soil, water,
sunlight, and all other nonliving elements, and its biotic constituents, consisting of all its living
members.
- The ecosystem is made up of animals, plants, and nature.
- The fundamental source of energy in almost all ecosystems is radiant
energy from the Sun.
- The energy of sunlight is used by the ecosystem’s autotrophic, or
self-sustaining, organisms
- Consisting largely of green vegetation, these organisms are capable of
photosynthesis—i.e., they can use the energy of sunlight to convert carbon
dioxide and water into simple, energy-rich carbohydrates.
- All animals and fungi are heterotrophs, as are most bacteria
and many other microorganisms.