Ecosystem Vocabulary Part 1
An ecosystem includes all living things in an area interacting with each other and their non-living surroundings. The living parts are called biotic factors, while things like temperature and rainfall are abiotic factors.
Ecosystems can be either terrestrial (land-based) or aquatic (water-based). The deciduous forest has trees that drop their leaves in fall, while deserts get very little rain. Grasslands have fertile soil covered with tall grasses, and rainforests have lots of trees and heavy rainfall.
Some special forest ecosystems include the taiga, which has mostly cone-bearing trees like pines and begins where the treeless tundra ends. The tundra is characterized by permanently frozen soil and harsh conditions.
Fun Fact: Earth has many different biomes, which are large regions with specific climates and living things. The ecosystem where you live is part of a larger biome!
