Ecosystem
A community of living organisms interacting with one another and with their physical environment.
Example
A wetland includes plants, animals, microorganisms, water and soil processes.
The catch
Boundaries are chosen for analysis and often connect to larger systems.
Related terms
Wetland, Afforestation, Biodiversity, Blue carbon, Carbon sink, Carbon stock
In more depth
Ecosystem, explained.
An ecosystem behaves as a web of dependencies, so a change in one part can travel a long way. The textbook case comes from the North Pacific coast, where the loss of sea otters let sea urchins multiply and strip kelp forests bare. Climate change adds pressure from several sides at once, shifting temperatures, water availability and the timing of seasons.
The IPBES Global Assessment found nature declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history. For climate action, healthy ecosystems matter twice, as stores of carbon and as protection, since floodplains, mangroves and reefs can reduce the damage from floods and storms. A nature-based solution tries to secure both, and its success depends on the condition of the ecosystem it relies on.