Topic
Nature
The living systems, habitats, and physical processes that shape the world beyond built environments.
At a glance
- What it includes
- Living communities and their physical environment
- Core idea
- Organisms and environments influence one another
Overview
Nature describes the interacting living and non-living systems that make up the world around us. Ecosystems connect organisms with soil, water, climate, and energy flows; a change in one part can alter conditions for many others. Thinking in systems helps explain why biodiversity, habitat quality, and climate are related rather than separate subjects.
Ecosystems are connected
An ecosystem includes organisms and the physical setting in which they interact. Water, nutrients, temperature, and energy move through those relationships, so protecting a species often also means protecting the habitat and processes that support it.
Biodiversity and resilience
Biodiversity describes variation among living organisms and the communities they form. Greater variety can give an ecosystem more ways to respond to disturbance, while habitat loss and other pressures can reduce that resilience. The right response depends on the place, the species, and the evidence available.
Sources and review
MOOR's explanatory text is supported by the following source links.
- Ecosystems — United Nations Environment Programme
- Glossary: Ecosystem — Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services