ecosystem

5 definitions • 8 examples

all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and the environment:

Pollution can have disastrous effects on the delicately balanced ecosystem.

Marine biologists fear the predatory crabs have the potential to disrupt marine ecosystems.

forest/reef/ocean ecosystems

any complicated system consisting of many different people, processes, activities, etc., especially relating to technology, and the way that they affect each other :

A developer ecosystem is a community of software developers and the market that shares their tools and services.

A new political ecosystem has grown up around local elections.

all the plants, animals, and people living in an area considered together with their environment as a system of relationships:

They are working to preserve the delicately balanced ecosystem of these wetlands.

all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and the environment:

Three-quarters of these cork oak forests could be lost within the decade, threatening jobs and ecosystems.

a group of businesses or business activities that affect each other and work well together:

Independent musicians help to keep the ecosystem of popular music healthy.