ecosystem

Also known as ecological system, ecosystems

An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by organisms in interaction with their environment. The biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.

AI overview

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical surroundings, all connected through the cycling of nutrients and the flow of energy. Understanding ecosystems matters because these interconnected relationships determine how environments function and support life.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

490,474 papers

The theory of tumor ecosystem.ReviewCancer communications (London, England) · 2022Chen X, Song EDOI: 10.1002/cac2.12316
[Mental health, an ecosystem issue].ReviewSoins. Psychiatrie · 2024Lambrette GDOI: 10.1016/j.spsy.2023.11.010
Ecosystem Barriers and Facilitators Linked to the Fear of Cancer Recurrence: An Umbrella Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Caumeil B, Bazine N, Maugendre A et al.DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21081041
Synergies and complementarities between ecosystem accounting and the Red List of Ecosystems.ReviewNature ecology & evolution · 2024Xiao H, Driver A, Etter A et al.DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02494-6
Microplastics in terrestrial ecosystem: Sources and migration in soil environment.ReviewChemosphere · 2023Surendran U, Jayakumar M, Raja P et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137946
Ecosystem Vulnerability Review: Proposal of an Interdisciplinary Ecosystem Assessment Approach.Environmental management · 2018Weißhuhn P, Müller F, Wiggering HDOI: 10.1007/s00267-018-1023-8
The species composition-ecosystem function relationship: A global meta-analysis using data from intact and recovering ecosystems.PloS one · 2020Carrick PJ, Forsythe KJDOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236550
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in the Multi-Omics Approach to Gut Microbiota.ReviewGastroenterology · 2025Rozera T, Pasolli E, Segata N et al.DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.02.035

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Wikidata facts

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Commons category: Ecosystems
exact match: purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_01001110

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~33 min read

Article

24 sections

Contents

Definition
Origin and development of the term
Processes
External and internal factors
Primary production
Energy flow
Decomposition
Decomposition rates
Dynamics and resilience
Nutrient cycling
Function and biodiversity
Study approaches
Ecosystem ecology
Classifications
Human interactions with ecosystems
Ecosystem goods and services
Degradation and decline
Management
Restoration and sustainable development
See also
Types
Instances {{anchor|List}}
References
External links

Ecosystems are controlled by external and internal factors. External factors—including climate—control the ecosystem's structure, but are not influenced by it. By contrast, internal factors control and are controlled by ecosystem processes; these include decomposition, the types of species present, root competition, shading, disturbance, and succession. While external factors generally determine which resource inputs an ecosystem has, their availability within the ecosystem is controlled by internal factors. Ecosystems are dynamic, subject to periodic disturbances and always in the process of recovering from past disturbances. The tendency of an ecosystem to remain close to its equilibrium state, is termed its resistance. Its capacity to absorb disturbance and reorganize, while undergoing change so as to retain essentially the same function, structure, identity, is termed its ecological resilience.