An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system. It includes all living things such as plants, animals, and organisms in a given area, interacting with each other and with their non-living environments like weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, and atmosphere. Ecosystems are the foundations of the biosphere and determine the health of the entire earth system. Each organism in an ecosystem has its own niche or role to play, and there are two primary types of ecosystems: terrestrial and aquatic.

In summary, an ecosystem is a complex network of interactions between living organisms and their environment, encompassing both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components. This concept is crucial for understanding the delicate balance of nature and the interdependence of all life forms within a given area.