Ecosystems are connected places — Biology, 7–10 years
An ecosystem includes living things, their surroundings and the links between them. Biology, 7–10 years.
A whole living system
An ecosystem is a place where living things and non-living parts affect one another. It includes plants, animals and decomposers, but also soil, water, air, light and temperature. A pond, a woodland and even a small rock pool can each be an ecosystem.
Why look at the whole
Looking at one animal or one food chain can hide important connections. A change in water temperature may alter plants, insects, fish and birds at the same time. The idea of an ecosystem helps us ask how a change in one part can affect many other parts.
A pond in summer
In a pond, sunlight helps algae and plants grow. Tiny animals eat them, fish eat the tiny animals, and herons may eat the fish. If the pond becomes very polluted, plants and tiny animals may decrease, so fish and herons may also have less food.
An ecosystem is not only animals
It is understandable to picture an ecosystem as a group of animals, because animals are easy to notice. But plants, fungi, decomposers and non-living things are part of it too. Remove the water, soil or sunlight from the picture and the living relationships change as well.
Caring for connected places
When people manage a pond, park or garden, they are caring for an ecosystem. They may protect clean water, leave some wild plants and avoid harming useful decomposers. This works better than helping one favourite animal while ignoring the place and its other connections.
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