The different parts of an ecosystem can also be broken down further into simpler systems. For example:

The clouds and thundershowers (any kind of rain, snow, or water actually!) are all part of the watercycle and also part of a watershed. Food webs are made up of simpler systems called food chains, and the areas that animals or plants live in are broken up into habitats and niches, which can be very specific.

All of these things work together to create a complicated ecosystem. If any of these parts are damaged, it could affect the entire system!

Many different factors can cause damage to an ecosystem. Sadly, much of the damage is caused by human carelessness or influence and could be avoided. Pollution, acid rain, and vandalism are some examples. These can be extremely harmful to small wetland areas especially, because the pollution cannot fix itself easily in a closed system like a small pond.