Ecosystem
ˈiːkəʊsɪstəm
Definitions
2 meaningsA complex network of living organisms, their physical surroundings, and the interactions between them, functioning as a self-sustaining unit.
ˈiːkəʊsɪstəm
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
The Amazon rainforest is a complex and diverse ecosystem.
💡 Simply: Imagine a bunch of plants and animals living together in one place, like a forest or even your backyard. They all depend on each other, like the plants providing food and shelter for the animals, and the animals helping spread the plant seeds. It's like a big, happy, interconnected family!
👶 For kids: A group of living things, like plants and animals, that live together in a place and help each other.
More Examples
Pollution can disrupt the delicate balance of an ecosystem.
Scientists are studying the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems.
The project aims to create a sustainable business ecosystem.
How It's Used
"The coral reef ecosystem is home to a vast diversity of marine life."
"Deforestation has a devastating impact on forest ecosystems."
"The company built an ecosystem of products and services."
An interacting and interdependent network, especially in business or technology, of interconnected elements and actors.
ˈiːkəʊsɪstəm
A complex system of interconnected parts.
The company is building an ecosystem of products that work together seamlessly.
💡 Simply: It can also be used to describe a group of things that depend on each other. For example, the App Store is an ecosystem because many different people and companies contribute to it, and they all rely on each other.
👶 For kids: A group of different things that work together, like a group of friends who all help each other.
More Examples
The city's transportation ecosystem includes buses, trains, and bike-sharing programs.
The university fostered an innovative ecosystem for its students.
How It's Used
"The tech giant has fostered an ecosystem of developers and partners around its platform."
"The app store's ecosystem allows developers to sell to a large audience."
Idioms & expressions
digital ecosystem
The interconnectedness of a digital platform, its users, developers, partners, and the technologies and services it provides.
"The company is striving to create a thriving digital ecosystem."
thriving ecosystem
A system of life, business, or technology, marked by dynamic interaction, growth, and abundance.
"The new online marketplace created a thriving ecosystem of sellers."
From German *Ökosystem*, coined by Arthur Tansley, based on Greek *oikos* (house, environment) + system. It first appeared in scientific literature in the early 20th century.
The term gained prominence in scientific literature in the mid-20th century, evolving to encompass broader concepts in business and technology in more recent times.
Memory tip
Think of a closed terrarium, or an entire planet, filled with diverse living things. It's all interconnected and reliant on one another.
Word Origin
"house, environment"