Ecosystem(s)

Definition:

The complex system of plant, animal, fungal, and microorganism communities and their associated non-living environment interacting as an ecological unit.

Ecosystems have no fixed boundaries; instead their parameters are set to the scientific, management, or policy question being examined. Depending upon the purpose of analysis, a single lake, a watershed, or an entire region could be considered an ecosystem.

Source: US EPA Glossary of Climate Change Terms  

Related words:

Biosphere - Ecosystem change - Ecosystem management - Ecosystem processes - Ecosystem scale - Ecosystem services

To read about this term in context:

GreenFacts Summary on Ecosystem Change:

Translation(s):

Deutsch: Ökosystem(e)
Español: Ecosistema
Français: Ecosystème
Nederlands: Ecosysteem

Related publications: