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THE FOOD ECOSYSTEM
An ecosystem is a biological community where living organisms work together with nonliving parts of their environment , such as weather and landscape , to form a bubble of life . The living parts of an ecosystem are called biotic factors and include plants , animals , people , and bacteria . The abiotic factors are made up of nonliving components like soil , water , air , and climate . There are many different types of ecosystems .
Another way to think of an ecosystem is a complex network of interconnected parts . Every factor in an ecosystem depends on every other factor , either directly or indirectly . A change to one factor of an ecosystem can affect the other parts .
Food ecosystem chart adapted from a research article by Robin R . White and Mary Beth Hall entitled " Nutritional and greenhouse gas impacts of removing animals from U . S . agriculture ".
Are you part of an ecosystem ? The answer is YES ! Humans and the food we eat is an ecosystem . Animal agriculture and plant agriculture provide nearly all the products we rely on every day . Agriculture provides raw materials used for food , fiber , biofuel , and many other nonfood byproducts . The environment and climate affect the plants and animals produced in the ecosystem .
Connecting Colorado educators and students to their food , fiber , fuel , and natural resources .