An ecosystem can be defined as the biological community of living beings, communicating with

the physical environment and other nonliving components. It can also be defined as the chain of
communication or interaction between the living organisms and their environment.

An ecosystem differs in their size, which can either be small as an oasis or vast as an ocean. The
two main components of an ecosystem are:

1. Abiotic components – All nonliving components of an ecosystem, including air, water, light, soil,
rocks, minerals, and nutrients are examples of abiotic components.
2. Biotic components – All living components of an ecosystem, including producers, consumers, and
decomposers are examples of biotic components.

Also Read: Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Importance of Ecosystem:
1. It provides habitat to wild plants and animals.
2. It promotes various food chains and food webs.
3. It controls essential ecological processes and promotes lives.
4. Involved in the recycling of nutrients between biotic and abiotic components.
5. It helps in maintaining the usual flow of energy in an ecosystem including- Carbon Cycle, Energy
Cycle, Nitrogen Cycle, Oxygen Cycle, and Water Cycle.

Apart from these importances, the ecosystem also plays an important role in controlling weeds,
rotation of crop, management of grasslands, forests, biological surveys, conservation of soil,
wildlife, etc.

Stay tuned with BYJU’S to know more in detail about the ecosystem, their types, components
and their importance to human welfare.