What is an ecosystem comprised of?

An ecosystem is defined as the interaction between a community of living organisms (the biotic components) and their physical environment (the abiotic components). This relationship includes various factors such as soil, water, climate, and nutrients that influence the types of organisms that can thrive in a particular area.

In an ecosystem, the community consists of multiple species that interact with one another, while the abiotic environment encompasses all the non-living elements that contribute to the ecological dynamics. Understanding this relationship is crucial because it highlights how living organisms rely on and are affected by their surroundings, and vice versa.

The other options present narrower or incorrect definitions. A single species and its habitat would not encompass the entire network of interactions within a community. A population refers to individuals of the same species living in a particular area, which also doesn’t capture the full scope of an ecosystem. Lastly, a cell and its tissues describe levels of biological organization that are distinct from the ecological interactions found in typical ecosystem definitions. Therefore, the most complete and accurate representation of an ecosystem is indeed a community and its abiotic environment.