The creation of environment, that situation which will support and maintain life in

this world, hinges upon four basic physical factors: air, water, sun and rock. Each
plays a basic role.

temperature, salinity, marine (factors that affect)

Without soil, there would be only limited plant life, without plants, no animal life,
but without rock, there would be no soil. It is the parent structure. It is because of
Erosion.
Erosion- a slow process of wearing away, a grinding to the fine structure which
ultimately forms the basis of soil. It is a process which can be measured only in
eons. It is a foundation structure for soil on the earth today.

The water of the world is in a constant state of flux, and if properly managed, is
ever used yet ever renewed.
Sun is the energizer.

The energy from the Sun is harnessed through the process of photosynthesis.
Carbon dioxide and water are converted into carbohydrate through the action of
sunlight. Upon this foundation the intricate process of plant growth ensues, and
from plant life ultimately comes energy for maintenance of animal life in the world.
a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. It
is a complex network or interconnected system.

are made of living and non-living parts that interact and which must maintain
balanceover time.

Ecosystem - living and non-living

A greater variety of species in an ecosystem leads to sustainable ecosystems.

An older, more diverse ecosystem will have higher levels of biodiversity and be
more sustianable.
Within a biome or ecosystem, the sum of all living organisms is referred to as the
biological community.

For example, a forest of trees and undergrowth plants, inhabited by animals and
rooted in soil containing bacteria and fungi, constitutes a biological community.
Sometimes the term biota, which refers to all flora and fauna (plants and animals)
in a region, is used instead of biolical community. Thus, biological community is a
larger concept, since it includes microorganisms, which are vital to the functioning
of the food web
(Food chain) eg: A hawk eats a snake, which has eaten a frog, which has eaten a
grasshopper, which has eaten grass.
As the energy travels through the food web and the energy pyramids, we see a
reduction of available energy.
Our water supply today is the same as when dinosaurs were living.

EB: a stable balance in the number of species in an ecosystem.

Homeostasis can be defined as a property of an organism or system that helps it
maintain its parameters within a normal range of values.

A simple example of homeostasis is the body's ability to maintain an internal

temperature around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, whatever the temperature outside.