Populations of different species form a community; a community and the non-living components of its environment together form an ecosystem
A community is all the different species living together in one place. An ecosystem includes that community plus all the non-living surroundings, such as soil, water, and temperature.
Real World
A coral reef ecosystem off the coast of Australia includes the community of fish, corals, algae, and invertebrates, plus the abiotic components — water temperature, salinity, light penetration, and the calcium carbonate substrate.
Exam Focus
Define each term precisely — population, community, ecosystem — examiners penalise vague or interchangeable use of these words.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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