Biome, Ecosystem and Habitat are three very common words in Ecology. In this section, you will find a definition and explanation for each of them.

Biome

A biome is an area of the planet that shares similar conditions of climate, fauna and flora. The most important aspect of a biome is that it refers to the area where certain conditions are met, and there is very little focus on the interaction that may happen between all the different parts of that biome. One can think of it as a photograph of an area where we describe the major characteristics that define it without giving much importance to the interactions between them. Normally, the main characteristics that define a biome are climate, geology and living organisms. Geology is also an important factor since a mountain, for example, can completely change the living organisms and the climate of an area.

Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a system composed of living organisms and their interaction with the surrounding environment. Opposite to biomes, the main focus of ecosystems is the interaction and relationships between the species and their physical environment. While in a biome it is more important what species are there and where in the world they are located.

Habitat

Habitat is the environment that presents the right conditions for an individual, population or species to live. Habitat has its main focus on one species, population of a species or even an individual. To describe the habitat of a species or individual, the starting point is the individual itself, and then everything around it is defined.