Self-Supporting Ecosystem - GCSE Biology Definition

A self-supporting ecosystem is a biological system in which living organisms interact with each other and with non-living components (like water, sunlight, and soil) in a way that allows the system to maintain itself without external input. In this type of ecosystem, producers (like plants) make food through photosynthesis, consumers feed on plants or other animals, and decomposers break down dead organisms, returning nutrients to the soil. This recycling of nutrients, along with the constant input of energy from the sun, allows the ecosystem to function independently over time.