An ecosystem is a community of living organisms that interact with each other and their non-living environment in a specific geographic area. The biotic components of an ecosystem include all living things such as plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and viruses, while the abiotic components are non-living things such as rocks, minerals, water, and energy. Ecosystems can be natural or artificial, land-based or water-based, and can range in size from a small pond to an entire planet. Each organism in an ecosystem has its own niche or role to play, and the organisms and physical environment are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Ecosystems are responsible for the cycling of nutrients and the maintenance of the biosphere, and they determine the health of the entire Earth system.