Ecosystems

At the moment in our geography lessons, we are studying ecosystems. Towards 1950, the ecologists elaborated the scientific notion of ecosystem, defining it as the unit of study of ecology. The ecosystem is a unit formed by biotic factors (or alive members like vegetables and the animals) and abiotic factors (components that lack life, like for example minerals and water), in which vital interactions exist, energy flows and the matter circulates.

S-cool! have useful revision information about ecosystems, including key terminology, energy flow, and the nutrient cycle.

Also, why not take a look at the section on food webs and ecosystem interactions, containing info on material cycling and of course, food chains and webs.

You may also be interested in looking at this section, which compares deciduous forest ecosystems with coniferous forest ecosystems; or this section on seres; or these on the tropical rainforest and its management.

Some definitions are also provided by this section on ecosystems.