Elements of Biology: Ecosystems

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Ecosystems are not only a part of life, but they are a way of interaction among all organisms. While ecosystems are predominately found within specific geographical areas of various sizes, the entire earth’s surface is a combination of interconnected ecosystems. Plants, animals, the landscape and the climate all interact together within these environments continuously. This includes all abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) organisms and each organism affects one another in many ways. In every ecosystem interdependence exists and it is the structural support for building complex feeding environments within all ecosystems. Interaction within ecosystems takes place on a continuous basis. This can best be seen by viewing a food chain. An example of a food chain would look like the following: algae  krill  codfish  leopard seal  killer whale. Food is a crucial element to survival within an ecosystem as it provides energy which aids in life processes, such as breathing, moving, maintaining organs and reproducing. While food is needed to survive, it is obtained primarily from biotic organisms while water and oxygen are obtained from the abiotic environment. While all organisms depend on one another within ecosystems, each has its own position of affect on the environment. Balance within an ecosystem occurs through a close relationship between two species. This relationship called symbiosis is categorized into three main categories; mutualism, commensalism and parasitism. Commensalism usually occurs between a species that is either vulnerable to predation or with an inefficient means of locomotion, and another species with a relatively effective system of defense. In a parasitic relationship, the host species is always exploited to some degree, although often in such a way that its health is impaired only slowly. This allows the

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