An ecosystem is made up of different important parts. Here are the main ones:

1. Living Things (Biotic Factors):

   • These include plants, animals, and tiny organisms.
   • For example, a forest can have more than 100 different types of trees.

2. Non-living Things (Abiotic Factors):

   • These are things like weather, soil, and water.
   • For example, deserts get less than 10 inches of rain each year.

3. Energy Flow:

   • This is about how energy moves from one part of the ecosystem to another.
   • Energy goes from producers (like plants) to consumers (like animals) to decomposers (like fungi).
   • Only about 10% of energy moves up to the next level.

4. Nutrient Cycling:

   • This is how nutrients are shared between living things and the environment.
   • For example, cycles like carbon and nitrogen are really important for keeping ecosystems healthy.