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Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a place where living things and non-living things interact with one another as a working unit.

In one line: Eco means environment and system means working unit, so ecosystem is an environment that works together.

Understand it

An ecosystem includes plants, animals, microorganisms, air, water, soil, sunlight, and temperature working together. The living parts are called biotic components, while the non-living parts are called abiotic components. In a healthy ecosystem, energy moves from the Sun to plants and then to animals, while materials keep cycling through the system.

Example

A pond is an ecosystem because algae, fish, insects, frogs, water, mud, sunlight, and dissolved gases all affect one another.

Rule to remember

Ecosystem = biotic components + abiotic components + interactions among them.

See it worked out

Follow the example line by line, then use the same method on new questions.

Worked example

1In a school garden, grass, insects, birds, soil, air, sunlight, and water all affect one another.
2Because living and non-living parts interact continuously, the garden behaves like an ecosystem.

Method you can reuse

1Identify living components.
2Identify non-living components.
3Check whether they interact.
4Write that together they form an ecosystem.

Sketch it in your answer

Draw a simple box diagram showing sunlight, water, soil, plants, fish, decomposers, and arrows for interaction.

Check yourself

Answer the question in your head before opening the answer.

Try it yourself

Why is a pond called an ecosystem and not just a collection of animals?

Think first, then show answer

A pond is called an ecosystem because it has living organisms and non-living factors working together. The water, light, mud, plants, fish, and microorganisms interact as one unit, so it is more than a simple group of organisms.

Common wrong answer

An ecosystem is only a group of plants and animals.

Why it loses marks: The non-living environment also controls life in the system.

Don't mix this up

Students often think an ecosystem means only living organisms. That leaves out the non-living part, which is equally important.

Exam tip

Always mention both biotic and abiotic components when defining an ecosystem in an exam answer.

Write it in the exam

Each point is worth about one mark. Write point 1 for a 1-mark question and keep adding points as the marks go up.

How CBSE asks it

Define ecosystem, name its components, or explain why a pond or garden is an ecosystem.

1
Enough for 1 mark
An ecosystem is a place where living things and non-living things interact with one another as a working unit.
2
Add for 2 marks
Example: A pond is an ecosystem because algae, fish, insects, frogs, water, mud, sunlight, and dissolved gases all affect one another.
3
Add for 3 marks
An ecosystem includes plants, animals, microorganisms, air, water, soil, sunlight, and temperature working together.

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