COMPONENTS OF THE ECOSYSTEM
by Antonio C. Antonio
January 2, 2015
An ecosystem is a biological community of interacting
organisms and their physical environment.
Using this definition, it is quite apparent that an ecosystem has two
main components: (1) The BIOTIC or living components; and, (2) ABIOTIC or
non-living components. Although
dramatically different, in an ecosystem, these two basic components interact (by
exchanging of matter and energy) with each other.
Biotic components are the living things that shape an
ecosystem. A biotic factor is any living
component that affects another organism, including animals that consume other
organisms and the living food that the organisms consume. On the other hand, as opposed to the biotic
components are the abiotic factors which are all of the non-living things in an
ecosystem.
It is very important to highlight not only the different
components in an ecosystem (biotic and abiotic) but the process by which they
interact through the exchange of matter and energy that allows a symbiotic
relationship between the two which account for the survival of the ecosystem
itself. Symbiosis is defined as the
interaction between two different organisms living in close physical
association, typically to the advantage of both. This, in my mind, is more significant than simply
discussing the components of the ecosystem.
Just my little
thoughts…
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