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Ecosystems
Factfile |
 Ecosystems |
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Introduction
All around us our natural environment is constantly changing.
Change that happens naturally, without people making it happen, is normal and
is part of how the Earth works. For example, when the seasons change from Summer to Autumn,
it is natural for some trees to lose their leaves. Other natural conditions can be more extreme and are less predictable, like a hurricane storm or a tidal wave. So that we can understand how the natural environment works, we need to look more closely at how it functions. By doing this, we can better predict when big events like
hurricanes are likely to happen and as humans, we can learn how best to look after the Earth.
The Earth is made up of biomes. These are large-scale communities of plants and animals that exist together in harmony (equilibrium) with the environment. Each biome is made up of ecosystems. Ecosystems explain the way in which living organisms like animals and plants (biotic) live together with the non-living environment, the soil and climate (abiotic). There are several different types of ecosystem:
- Aquatic (freshwater)
- Terrestrial (land based)
- Marine (seawater)
Australian Barrier Reef - Rhea Diamantis
Ecosystems are found anywhere where there are living organisms. They vary in size
and can be as small as a puddle or as large as a rainforest. Ecosystems can even be found
in extreme environments, like Antarctica.
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