ecosystem
[ ek-oh-sis-tuh m, ee-koh- ]
/ ˈɛk oʊˌsɪs təm, ˈi koʊ- /
noun Ecology.
a system, or a group of interconnected elements, formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment.
any system or network of interconnecting and interacting parts, as in a business: The success of Apple’s ecosystem depends on hardware/software integration. Manufacturers, retailers, and customers are all part of the automotive industry’s ecosystem.
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ecosystem
biosphere ecology ecosystem environment habitatWords nearby ecosystem
ecopolitics,
ecoregion,
ecorse,
ecospecies,
ecosphere,
ecosystem,
ecosystem services,
ecotage,
ecotarian,
ecotaxis,
ecotecture
Example sentences from the Web for ecosystem
British Dictionary definitions for ecosystem
ecosystem
/ (ˈiːkəʊˌsɪstəm, ˈɛkəʊ-) /
noun
ecology
a system involving the interactions between a community of living organisms in a particular area and its nonliving environment
Word Origin for ecosystem
C20: from
eco (
logy) +
system
Medical definitions for ecosystem
ecosystem
[ ē′kō-sĭs′təm, ĕk′ō- ]
n.
An ecological community together with its environment, functioning as a unit.
Scientific definitions for ecosystem
ecosystem
[ ē′kō-sĭs′təm ]
A community of organisms together with their physical environment, viewed as a system of interacting and interdependent relationships and including such processes as the flow of energy through trophic levels and the cycling of chemical elements and compounds through living and nonliving components of the system.
Cultural definitions for ecosystem
ecosystem
[ (ee-koh-sis-tuhm, ek-oh-sis-tuhm) ]
A collection of living things and the environment in which they live. For example, a prairie ecosystem includes coyotes, the rabbits on which they feed, and the grasses that feed the rabbits.