In an introduction to ecosystems, an ecosystem is best described as consisting of which of the following?

• A. A community of organisms interacting with each other and with the abiotic (nonliving) environment in a particular area
• B. Only the living organisms (biotic factors) in a particular area, excluding physical and chemical factors
• C. All populations of a single species living in a particular area
• D. Only the nonliving (abiotic) components such as water, soil, and climate, excluding organisms

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of an ecosystem. An ecosystem includes both living organisms and their physical environment interacting together.
2. Step 2: Identify the biotic factors, which are the living components such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.
3. Step 3: Identify the abiotic factors, which are the nonliving components like water, soil, air, and climate.
4. Step 4: Recognize that an ecosystem is not just the living organisms alone (biotic factors) nor just the nonliving environment (abiotic factors), but the interaction between both.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description of an ecosystem is a community of organisms interacting with each other and with the abiotic environment in a particular area.