Ecosystem process
Definition
An intrinsic ecosystem characteristic whereby an ecosystem maintains its integrity. Ecosystem processes include decomposition, production, nutrient cycling, and fluxes of nutrients and energy.
Note: Ecosystem process is seen as equivalent to 'ecosytem function'. 1
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) 1
Other definitions
- IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services), 2019 2
The flow of energy and materials through the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem. It includes many processes such as biomass production, trophic transfer through plants and animals, nutrient cycling, water dynamics and heat transfer.