Ecosystem is an integrated system composed of interacting biotic and abiotic components. It is important in this definition that an ecosystem is a system, which implies that it has boundaries and that we can distinguish between the Ecosystem and its environment – environment in principle means the rest of the world beyond the boundaries or system
Ecosystem is dependent on the function of the ecosystem and is determined by the addressed problem
Because an ecosystem has interacting and connected biotic and abiotic components, it has system properties in the sense that the components work together to give the system emerging properties and make the system more than just the sun of the components. A living organism is much more than the cell and the organs the make up the organism similarly, a forest is more than just the trees – it is a cooperative working unit with emerging unique properties characteristic of a forest
It is important to understand fully the function and the reactions of ecosystem in both ecological research and environmental management the two basic questions in this context are
1.which fundamental properties characterize ecosystem
2.Is it possible to formulate basic scientific proposition that are able to explain the functions of ecosystem