The six major levels of organization in an ecosystem are:

1. Individual (Organism): At the lowest level are individual organisms, such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. This basic unit in ecology focuses on how an organism interacts with each other and its environment.

2. Population: A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area and interbreeding. Population ecology examines size, density, population distribution, and changes over time. For instance, a school of fish in a lake.

3. Community: Communities comprise multiple populations of different species living and interacting within the same habitat. Community ecology studies the interactions between species, such as predation, competition, and symbiosis. An example is the various plants, animals, and microbes in a meadow.

4. Ecosystem: A community of living organisms and their physical environment (biotic and abiotic factors) functioning together as a system. Ecosystems can vary in size, like a small pond or a large forest.

5. Biome: Biomes are large geographic regions characterized by distinct climates, vegetation, and animal life adapted to specific environmental conditions. Biomes contain multiple ecosystems and are defined by climatic and geographic conditions. Examples include deserts, tundras, and rainforests.

6. Biosphere: The biosphere comprises all Earth’s ecosystems, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and regions where life exists. It represents the interconnectedness of all living organisms and their environments, with global processes like climate change and nutrient cycling influencing ecosystems on a planetary scale.

Each level increases in complexity, showing the interconnectedness and interdependence of life and environments on Earth.

Relevant Links:

• Energy Flow of Ecosystem
• Types of Ecosystem Services
• Levels of Organization in Animals
• Difference Between Predation and Parasitisms
• Components of Ecosystem – Biotic and Abiotic
• Ecological Pyramid – Definition, Types, Importance, Limitations