An ecosystem is all the living things in a particular area — plants, animals, fungi, tiny life in the soil — together with the non-living things they need, like water, light, air and rock, and the way they keep one another going. A pond can be an ecosystem; so can a coral reef, a patch of rainforest, a city park, or, if you zoom right out, a much bigger slice of the earth.

An ecosystem生態系統 is all the living things in a particular area是指某個地區裡所有的生物 — plants, animals, fungi, tiny life in the soil植物、動物、真菌、土裡的微小生命 — together with the non-living things they need再加上牠們需要的非生物條件, like water, light, air and rock像水、光、空氣和岩石, and the way they keep one another going以及牠們彼此支撐運作的方式。A pond池塘 can be an ecosystem可以是一個生態系統; so can a coral reef, a patch of rainforest, a city park珊瑚礁、一片雨林、一座城市公園也可以, or, if you zoom right out或者放大來看, a much bigger slice of the earth可以是地球更大的一部分

The word is not just a list of animals. It is the list plus the relationships: who eats, who shelters, what rot feeds the next plant, what happens if one piece is taken away.

The word這個字 is not just a list of animals不只是一份動物清單。It它 is the list plus the relationships是那份清單再加上彼此的關係: who eats誰吃誰、who shelters誰躲在哪裡、what rot feeds the next plant什麼腐爛的東西餵養了下一株植物、what happens if one piece is taken away少了其中一環會發生什麼事

Scientists use it as a technical word. School books and news use it too, sometimes a bit loosely, as if it only meant “nature in a place.” Though actually, a parking lot with weeds in the cracks is an ecosystem as well, just a battered one.

Scientists科學家 use it as a technical word把它當專業術語用。School books and news課本和新聞 use it too也會用這個字, sometimes a bit loosely有時候用得比較鬆散, as if it only meant "nature in a place."好像只是「某個地方的自然環境」。 Though actually不過其實, a parking lot with weeds in the cracks縫裡長出雜草的停車場 is an ecosystem as well也算是一個生態系統, just a battered one只是比較破敗的一種

The English botanist Arthur Tansley coined the word in 1935.

The English botanist Arthur Tansley英國植物學家 Arthur Tansley coined the word in 1935在一九三五年創造了這個字