Ecology

Ecosystem

생태계

Definition

A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment as a functional unit, exchanging energy and matter.

Detailed Explanation

Ecosystems operate through a continuous flow of energy and cycling of nutrients — sunlight enters via photosynthesis and exits as heat, while carbon and nitrogen loop through living and non-living components. A coral reef exemplifies this: algae fix energy, fish graze, predators hunt, and decomposers recycle waste. Disrupting one element can cascade through the whole system.

More in Ecology