Meaning & use
ecosystem
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Meanings
nouncountablebiology
A community of living things and the nonliving features of their surroundings, all linked through the way they affect one another.
Grammar: Countable; describes a particular system such as a pond ecosystem.
Patterns
- an ecosystem of something
- a forest ecosystem
A coral reef is a rich marine ecosystem.
Pollution can damage a river ecosystem within weeks.
Wolves play a key role in the ecosystem of the national park.
nouncountablefigurative
A complex network of connected businesses, products or people that depend on each other.
Grammar: Figurative sense, common with words like digital or startup.
Patterns
- a startup ecosystem
- the ecosystem of something
The city has a thriving startup ecosystem.
Developers build apps for the phone's software ecosystem.
The local music ecosystem includes clubs, labels and radio.
Word forms
| plural | ecosystems |
|---|
Common combinations
- fragile ecosystem
- The island is a fragile ecosystem.
- marine ecosystem
- Plastic harms the marine ecosystem.
- balance of the ecosystem
- Removing one species can upset the balance of the ecosystem.
- disrupt an ecosystem
- Invasive plants can disrupt an ecosystem.
- healthy ecosystem
- Bees are vital to a healthy ecosystem.
- ecosystem services
- Wetlands provide ecosystem services like flood control.
Synonyms and how they differ
- habitat
- A habitat is the place where a particular species lives, while an ecosystem includes all the organisms and their environment.
- environment
- Environment is broader and can mean surroundings of any kind, while ecosystem is a scientific unit of connected life.
- biome
- A biome is a large region, like tundra or desert, containing many ecosystems.
- biosphere
- The biosphere is all life on Earth, so it is the biggest scale of the idea.
Word family
- ecology noun
- the study of living things and their environment
- ecological adjective
- relating to ecology
- ecologist noun
- a scientist who studies ecology
- eco-friendly adjective
- not harmful to the environment
- ecosystemic adjective
- relating to an ecosystem (rare)
Commonly confused: ecosystem or environment?
ecosystem vs environment
Environment can mean any surroundings, such as the work environment, while ecosystem is a defined system of living and nonliving things.
Practice
Which choice best completes the sentence: The oil spill threatened the whole coastal ______.
Choose one answer.
Ecosystem is the noun for a community of living things and surroundings. Ecologist is a person, ecstatic is an adjective, and economy of plants is not a natural phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ecosystem”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.