Ecosystem Structure & Function

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What is an ecosystem?

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An ecosystem is any unit that includes all the living things in an area, interacting with the physical environment.

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What are the two main components of an ecosystem?

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Biotic (living things) and Abiotic (non-living things; physical environment).

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What are biotic factors?

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Biotic factors include plants, animals, and other organisms.

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What are abiotic factors?

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Abiotic factors include rocks, temperature, and humidity.

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What is a community in ecological terms?

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A community is composed of many populations of species inhabiting an area.

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What is a population?

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A population is a group of one species of organism.

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What is a species?

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A species is a group of genetically similar organisms that can interbreed with one another.

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What is the biosphere?

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The biosphere is the region on earth where there is life, extending high into the atmosphere and deep into the oceans.

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What is a habitat?

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A habitat is a place in which you find animals and plants; the space that the organism inhabits.

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What are the functional components of an ecosystem?

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Energy flow, food chain, food web, biogeochemical cycles, diversity & evolution, and cybernetics.