ecosystem" is used frequently in the popular media, and yet most people do not have a clear, working definition of an ecosystem. An ecosystem simply refers to all of the organisms and their physical environment that exist within a certain, specific area. This includes all plants, animals, and their environment, which can include water, dirt, rocks, and the air that surrounds them. For example, all of the organisms that live in a New England tide pool, plus their physical environment would make up an ecosystem. In addition, a deciduous forest and a salt pond marsh are also ecosystems.

A biosphere is an aggregate of many ecosystems rather than a single ecosystem. The biosphere is made up of the entire portion of the earth that supports life. It encompasses many communities and ecosystems.

In the simplest terms, the biosphere is the surface of the earth, and all the organisms contained within....
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